Animal advocates claim that all livestock are mistreated on farms where they lead miserable life and that these farms pollute the environment. No matter how unpleasant some practices may seem, they should not be interpreted as cruel or inhumane. All the necessary conditions for a quality life have been created for animals, and their products do not harm the body.
Killing animals for food is not a shameful practice because if there were no meat-eaters, there would be no animals. Pigs, cows, chickens, and many other edible animals are practically not found in the wild. Man tamed them thousands of years ago and began breeding for his diet (Hsiao). As a result, millions and millions of individuals of these species exist on Earth only because people eat them.
From a scientific point of view, it cannot quantify the “happiness” of a cow. Nevertheless, it can measure a herd’s stress, illness, and overall satisfaction, in the same way measure it in human groups (van Eerdenburg et al.). Cattle placed indoors can exhibit natural behavior as if they were on a pasture. A closed room protects the herd from inclement weather (too hot, cold, wet, or windy). Although it is also true that cattle often show dramatic emotional changes in behavior, which people can interpret as “happiness” when cows first appear on pasture (Dutkiewicz). However, the cows are just as excited and impatiently pushing at the entrance to the barn when it is cold or windy outside. Farmers take care of their animals, as they are the basis of their business.
According to vegan activists, the food is eaten, in any case, impacts the reduction of natural resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and the quality of air, water, and soil. Nevertheless, most of the developed dairy industries worldwide have improved their efficiency over the past century, reducing the number of resources used per liter of milk (Keatley and Caskie). For example, the carbon footprint in British milk is 1.17 kg of carbon dioxide per kg — this is lower than when growing fruits, vegetables, grains, or meat.
The researchers concluded that the more meat people eat, the lower child mortality and the higher life expectancy (Johnston et al.). The meat of small and large animals provided our ancestors with optimal nutrition, which stimulated the appearance of genetic, physiological, and morphological changes that led to the assimilation of meat by the human body, and modern people inherited these adaptive changes. Vegetarian food lacks certain substances that are necessary for human health. If the lack of protein can still be replenished by including nuts and legumes in people’s daily diet, then people can only put up with the lack of amino acids. Due to the rejection of milk and fermented milk products, the body lacks vitamin B2. Elderly vegetarians may lack iodine. In addition, it is necessary to give a discount on the climate. After all, vegetarianism originated in the warm southern weather. However, the more northern the people, the fewer vegetables and fruits in their diet for purely climatic reasons.
There is an opinion that meat increases the level of cholesterol in the blood and is dangerous for blood vessels. However, if consumed in a paired form, it reduces the risks of its increase. There is one meta-analysis from which it is clear that fish increases cholesterol in the blood more than red meat (Guasch-FerrĂ© et al.). Many say that all meat is stuffed with growth hormones, but this is achieved through proper nutrition and improved living conditions. The use of antibiotics as growth stimulants and for the prevention of animal diseases is prohibited in farm production. Antibiotics are allowed only for therapeutic purposes and are based on a veterinarian’s diagnosis through laboratory tests. It is carefully controlled. Enterprises that conduct socially responsible business do not refuse antibiotics but create the best possible conditions for animals and birds that allow them to reduce their need for medicines.
Works Cited
Dutkiewicz, Jan. “Transparency and the factory farm: agritourism and counter-activism at Fair Oaks Farms.” Gastronomica, vol. 18 no. 2, 2018 pp. 19-32.
Guasch-FerrĂ©, Marta, et al. “Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of red meat consumption in comparison with various comparison diets on cardiovascular risk factors.” Circulation, vol. 139 no. 15, 2019, pp. 1828-1845.
Hsiao, Timothy. “Industrial farming is not cruel to animals.” Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, vol. 30 no. 1, 2017, pp.37-54.
Johnston, Bradley C., et al. “Unprocessed red meat and processed meat consumption: dietary guideline recommendations from the Nutritional Recommendations (NutriRECS) Consortium.” Annals of internal medicine, vol. 171 no. 10, 2019, pp. 756-764.
Keatley, Paul, and Paul Caskie. Greenhouse Gas Emissions on Northern Ireland Dairy Farms-A carbon footprint time series study, no. 1916-2017-1386, 2017 pp. 36-39.
van Eerdenburg, Frank JCM, et al. “A new, practical animal welfare assessment for dairy farmers.” Animals, vol. 11 no. 3, 2021, pp. 881-886.