Farm Animals
Egg laying hens (chickens) in a factory farm battery cage (above) can be contrasted with free range chickens (below) who are given space to roam and a shelter for shade.Concern for farm animals is mainly focused on factory farming, where farm animals are raised in confinement at high stocking density. Issues revolve around the limiting of natural behavior in animals (see battery cage, veal and gestation crate), and invasive procedures such as debeaking and mulesing. Other issues include methods of animal slaughter, especially ritual slaughter.
While the killing of animals need not necessarily involve suffering, the general public considers killing an animal an act that reduces its welfare. This leads to concerns with premature slaughtering, such as the chick culling. This applies in a lesser extent to all food animals.
Animal welfare science is an emerging field that seeks to answer questions raised by the use of animals, such as whether hens are frustrated when confined in cages, or whether the psychological well-being of animals in laboratories can be maintained.
Read more about this topic: Animal Welfare
Famous quotes containing the words farm and/or animals:
“Wind goes from farm to farm in wave on wave,
But carries no cry of what is hoped to be.
There may be little or much beyond the grave,
But the strong are saying nothing until they see.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)
“Feet are considered a delicacy among certain animals, you know.... In fact, there are certain man-eating animals who will eat only the feet, leave everything else, will not touch one other thing.”
—Blake Edwards (b. 1922)