Industrial farming, also known as factory farming, is the large-scale raising of animals using intensive methods under controlled conditions. This often involves raising pigs, cows and chickens indoors, in large numbers, to produce poultry, dairy and meat for human consumption (Block, 2009). Begun in the early decades of the 20th century, the practice was intended to ensure adequate animal nutrition at a relatively low cost while increasing production. According to Lymbery & Oakshott (2015) industrial agriculture has increased food security and the use of technology in farming, storage and shipping of products and by-products. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Business ethics are the moral values and principles that guide how business activities are conducted in an industry. They are intended to protect the stakeholders involved, while still doing what is right. Business ethics in industrial agriculture are considered highly violated. The animals involved are confined in conditions that are only beneficial to the farmer, while the animal suffers. Once their use is cancelled, they are slaughtered and their descendants placed in the same conditions (Block, 2009). For the consumer of the products, his health is negatively affected; overproduction of meat leads to its excessive consumption and obesity becomes real. Industrial agriculture was a product of technological progress; consequently it minimizes production costs, increases revenues and increases profit margins. It has negatively affected small family farms. In the 1930s, most major economies were heavily dependent on importing food from other countries. In 1940, small family farms accounted for 54% of all food consumed globally, with the remainder met by commercial crops (Block, 2009). In 2002, small family farming accounted for 1.5% of food on the market, while industrial agriculture accounted for the lion's share. Currently, small family farming is almost negligible: the same case applies to small packaging and transport companies that have been driven out of business by industrial agriculture. According to a 2013 FAO report, intensive farming is based on the total neglect of animals' other needs except for food and sometimes reproduction. It is based on unethical business ethics and cruelty to animals. Industrial agriculture has a single and ultimate goal; optimization of results and cost effectiveness. Most animals in the industry are sentient creatures who experience pain, abandonment, and love. To a large extent they are denied adequate interaction with each other and are tormented emotionally. This is especially true after birth; the little ones are not allowed to interact freely with their mothers. To fully grasp the level of animal cruelty, let's examine the breeding of the two most common animals in industrial farming; pigs and chickens. In poultry farming, it is used for egg or meat production. In egg production, once the eggs have hatched, the male chicks are quickly put to death as they are not viable; this also applies to culled females. Female chicks are debeaked, their nails clipped, and housed until maturity (Lymbery & Oakshott, 2015). During this period they are highly vaccinated and feed mainly on GMOs and. Once mature, they are moved to an area ofegg laying, where each hen is confined to a 2 foot square bird cage where she cannot move easily (Lymbery & Oakshott, 2015). Here there are hundreds of egg-laying birds stacked in layers. It increases their chances of spreading the infection to each other and there is no movement. The chicken ages rapidly due to the hostile conditions and is destroyed shortly thereafter. The pigs are confined to a small pen that does not allow any movement. While they were still piglets, their tails were amputated, the males were castrated, their ears were cropped and their teeth were cut. All of these are painful procedures performed without anesthesia. Once they reach maturity, the males are slaughtered and sold for meat while the females are fertilized. They are moved into gestational cages for months until they give birth to their young. These crates do not allow travel deemed unnecessary (Lymbery & Oakshott, 2015). They are then moved into farrowing crates, which are designed to discourage any movement, allow eating and drinking for the adult pig, and nursing for the piglets. Once the piglets have been breastfed for approximately two months, they begin the process described above, while the mother is inseminated again (Lymbery & Oakshott, 2015). Once the pig can no longer reproduce or is killed, it is destroyed. Currently, nearly 65 billion cows, chickens and pigs are confined under intensive farming practices (FAO Report, 2013). In an effort to ensure that the time it takes for the animal to mature is reduced to as short as possible; they are fed GMO corn instead of grass and other feed crops. In an attempt to reduce diseases, which are the result of poor living conditions, and to provide vitamin D to animals, which they would acquire by basking in the sun; antibiotics are constantly administered. These antibiotics degrade the environment when they discharge into lakes, rivers or sewage systems. Factories have also played a role in global warming by emitting greenhouse gases. According to a 2013 FAO report, industrial agriculture accounts for 18% of all greenhouse gases emitted globally. These gases include methane and nitrous oxide which are 80 times more harmful to the ozone layer than carbon monoxide. The industry contributes 37% of the total methane gas emitted globally. The consumption of products from intensive farming is harmful to human health. Due to the increasing use of antibiotics and growth hormones during animal incubation and rearing, products contain residues (Casuto, 2007). The effects are subsequently transmitted to humans, explaining the extremely fast rate at which adolescents mature and the increase in obesity. Consumption of the products also leads to drug resistance in both animals and humans, consequently increasing the population affected by lifestyle-related diseases. Animal welfare activists and advocates have stepped up to defend animals from cruelty in factory farming. Animal welfare advocates advocate for the responsible consumption of animals to meet human needs such as companions, food, clothing, and research specimens. Animals should not be subjected to unnecessary distress. Activists, however, advocate treating animals as equal to humans (Lymbery & Oakshott, 2015). They should not be slaughtered for human consumption, nor should their products be consumed by humans. Vegetarians avoid eating meat and meat products but consume animal products such as dairy and eggs, while vegans do not eat meat and animal products (Block, 2009). Both groups.
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