There is more over 1,000 American-style mega farms in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, some of which contain up to a million animals. new the study.
In the US, mega farms are defined as those that own more over 125,000 birds raised for meat, or 82,000 laying hens, 2,500 pigs, 700 dairy cows or 1,000 beef cattle. US officials label them as concentrated pet food. system (CAFO).
By 2021, the number of farms in UK that met US definition of CAFO, or mega-farm, was 1,099 people. research.
This figure is known to be underestimated due to an omission of Scottish data which was not available because of cyberattack in 2020.
March of those mega farms are american style in UK has been revealed in Guardian’s investigation in 2017, but up-to-date data was published this week in book by Philip Limbury, Executive Director, Sixty Harvests Left: How to Achieve a Greener Future of Compassion in World Agriculture (CIWF).
Only in England of mega farms increased from 818 in from 2016 to 944 in 2020. Of which 745 house birds and 199 for pigs. There are four poultry farms. in UK Registered for 1 million birds with largest holding up up to 1.4 million. For pigs, the three largest farms keep more over 20,000 pigs.
There is also at least 19 dairies that meet the criteria of “megamilk”. Cows are holding in intensive dairy products are “zero-grazed” which means they are not allowed out in the fields and permanently housed in barns. The biggest one in UK seems to be holding 2000 animals.
In addition, nine mega farms contain 1000 or more beef cattle. American-style beef feedlots where cattle are fattened. up before the slaughter were first identified as existing in United Kingdom in Guardian’s investigation in 2018.
Factory farming maximizes production at the lowest cost of producing cheap meat and dairy products – 1 billion chickens, 10 million pigs and 2.6 million head of cattle are slaughtered in the UK a year. year – and most of Animals raised in the UK contain in intensive aggregates.
However, there are concerns that intensive farming is a driver of climate change, water and air pollution, loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on local communities, including the creation of potential health risks associated with with ammonia pollution. Intensive animal husbandry has also accused for growing disease risk.
In Europe the Dutch government recently introduced plans radically reduce livestock to limit excess nitrogen from intensive farming.
Animal advocates say animals in mega farms are deprived ability to express natural behavior. Animal keeping in “crowded, mostly barren conditions” and using fast- breeding of chicken breeds and cages for farrowing for pigs “question our claims to be a nation of animal lovers,” said Philip Limbury, Managing Director of Compassion in World Farming.
This was stated by Lizzie Wilson from the National Pig Association. big not necessarily equal bad: “Large farms can often provide more resources such as more a stock of people a dedicated veterinarian… who actually make it easier good caring for animals.”
Richard Griffiths, chief executive of the British Poultry Council, said all production systems in UK included good welfare: “Systems perceived as higher welfare more resource intensive with decrease in efficiency and productivity, with co-effects on in environment and cost of production.”
representative for The National Farmers Union said: “No matter what sector or size of on the farm, indoors or outdoors, animal health and welfare is a constant priority for all British farmers because they know what public values high standards of animal health and welfare that farmers work to.”
representative for The Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB) said that the vast majority of beef and dairy cattle in Great Britain “grazed in the open air throughout year for bye weather conditions allow.
As UK agriculture changes there are calls for reform. Agriculture in a scrap metal factory campaign sues the European Court of human rights, claiming that government unable to defend public from climate change and the threat of future pandemics from industrial animal husbandry.
“Let’s stop denying that industrial farming inherently cruel and is the main driver of wildlife decline and climate change,” Limbury told The Guardian.
representative for department for Environment, Food and Agriculture stated that all farms, regardless of of size should match with UK law on animal health and welfare, planning, veterinary drugs and environmental law.
“Animal Welfare Act 2006 also makes it a crime cause any animal in captivity unnecessary suffering or fail to meet the needs of welfare of animal – and we will take action without hesitation against those who fail meet these standards.”
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