In addition, Mason and Singer cover many of the problems and consequences of the new factory farming methods. Animal Factories discusses factory hazards, waste, pollution, and diseases associated with factory farming. First, with regards to diseases that are directly related to factory farming, Mason and Singer argue that the controlled environment of an animal factory is a perfect home for pollution and airborne germs. Since these factories are in use all year and are isolated from sunlight, wind, and rain, bacteria can build up rather easily. Science supports these claims made by Mason and Singer. For instance, 15-20% of calves are lost to disease or infection on the average dairy farm. In rare cases, losses can even reach up to 40-50% [5]. Not only are the animals at a high risk of disease, but the humans that work in animal factories are also exposed to these same diseases. For example, around 20% of swine confinement workers suffer from organic dust toxic syndrome, an acute influenza-like illness [6]. Mason and Singer also mention the negative effects of factory waste, such as manure; saying that animal excretions can often be harmful is confined spaces. They also argue that our capacity for storing waste will soon be exceeded. In support of this, manure is composed of many chemicals like ammonia and hydrogen sulfide [7]. In addition, the odor of swine manure is a combination of approximately 121 different compounds, some of which can be very harmful to both humans and animals [8]. Also, science supports Mason and Singer’s concern about the hazards of waste and pollution in animal factories and how animal agriculture is the greatest producer of sewage waste in the United States. For example, broiler hens generate nearly 5.8 tons of manure per year per 1,000 birds, each excreting up to 18 pounds of manure per year [9]. Once again, using the specific example of Texas, 14.3 million cattle produce approximately 676 million pounds of fresh manure in the state. This translates into an estimated 247 billion pounds of waste per year that must be handled by Texas cattle facilities [9]. Next, in addition to approximately 17.4 million laying hens, Texas poultry facilities produced an average of 480 million broilers in 1998, with each broiler and laying hen producing approximately 62 and 95 pounds of fresh manure per year, respectively. The Texas poultry industry alone generates almost 31.4 billion pounds of chicken waste each year [9]. A caged layer composed of 60,000 birds produces around 82 tons of manure each week. In addition, 2,000 swine produce nearly 27 tons of manure and 32 tons of urine in a typical factory. All in all, farm animals in the United States produce an equivalent of more than ten times the human population in tons of manure each year, 50% of which come from confinement operations [10].
Last, Mason and Singer’s book, Animal Factories, presents several ethical issues such as the practices of debeaking and the use of battery cages in factories. The first ethical issue covered in Animal Factories is the use of battery cages. Mason and Singer claim that the use of battery cages to house egg-laying hens is a practice that has negative consequences. For example, the tibia has been shown to be up to 41% stronger in floor-housed hens than in caged birds [11]. Finally, with regards to debeaking, Mason and Singer argue that many beaks are sloppily cut. They state that even if the beaks are cut properly, it is a painful process that affects the birds’ health in the future. In support of this, a bird’s beak contains nociceptors, which sense pain and noxious stimuli [12]. When a bird’s beak is trimmed, the nociceptors are excited. Following debeaking, the nociceptors show abnormal patterns of neural discharge, which can be interpreted as acute pain and discomfort. But, the tangled axons, called neuromas, eventually heal and the acute pain no longer persists [13]. Jim Mason and Peter Singer’s book, Animal Factories, is a very accurate and interesting book that is comprised of many arguments against animal factories, which are heavily supported by scientific research and findings.
Works Cited
[1] Quarles, C.L., Caveny, D.D. 1976. How you’ll do business by 1985. Broiler Industry. 1: 34.
[2] Baker, R.L., 1975. One man’s view: where we’ll be in the 1980’s. Egg Industry. 1: 19-20.
[3] Emerson, P.M. 1975. Public policy and the changing structure of american agriculture. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1:11.
[4] Texas Agricultural Statistics Service. 2000. Texas cattle operations by size in 1999. 1998 Texas Agricultural Statistics Bulletin. 1: 32.
[5] “Keep Those Dairy Calves Alive.” 1977. Successful Farming. 1: 2.
[6] Donham, K. J. 1998. The impact of industrial swine production on human health. Pigs, Profits, and Rural Communities. 1: 80.
[7] Sweeten, J.M. 1991. Odor control from poultry manure composting plant using a soil filter. American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 7: 439.
[8] Sweeten, J. M. 1996. Odor abatement: progress and concerns. National Poultry Waste Management Symposium.
[9] Barker, J.C., Hodges, S. C., Campbell, C. R. 2000. Livestock manure production rates and nutrient content. North Carolina Agricultural Chemicals Manual. 10: 1-2.
[10] Jasiorowski, H.A. 1975. Intensive systems of animal production. Proceedings of the III World Conference on Animal Production. 1: 384.
[11] Knowles, T.G., Broom, D.M. 1990. Limb bone strength and movement in laying hens from different housing systems. Veterinary Record. 126: 354-356.
[12] Breward, J. 1984. Cutaneous nociceptors in the chicken beak. Proceedings of the Journal of Physiology London. 346: 56.
[13] Gentle, M.J. 1986. Beak trimming in poultry. World’s Poultry Science Journal. 42: 268- 275.
