Introduction
The global human population is increasing. Food has now become an important concern due to the soaring population. The high population has reduced farming area to build homesteads (Pollan, 2007). Wild animals have suffered the most. As a result, global meat production has decreased.
A new trend has been developed. Animals are now domesticated specifically for meat production. Mixed opinions have resulted due to this new trend. Vegetarians have opposed this trend while the activists have taken to war with mass killing of animals to provide meat. The most affected animal is chicken. Many people keep chicken because it is a good source of protein. This paper will explore farming and animal consumption.
Initially, chicken production was done under the free-range system. The system has changed to deep litter system. Here, chickens are confined in a poultry house. They are fed from the house with little movement. This system has denied chickens the freedom to eat all nutritious food that occurs naturally in the environment (Pollan, 2007).
Generally, all animals are confined with one aim of providing food. This trend has denied animals the basic fundamental animal rights to access proper nutrition and free life. Few traditional cultures, have maintained the respect for animal life as a basic component for human survival (Kalof, 2012).
The advancement of industrialization has contributed to massive processing of livestock products. Farming as a business, is a new farming trend that has ignored alternative sources of food. This poses a great challenge and respect for nature. Therefore, it is important to develop changes that will respect the importance of animals in nature.
The first problem with farming and animal consumption is its impact on the environment. Different farming methods contribute to environmental degradation. The obvious effects are environmental pollution and land degradation (Adler & Lawler, 2012). The first reason of environmental pollution is through processing.
Meat processing plants are heavy industries. They emit greenhouse gases and require a lot of water to cool the engines (Koneswaran & Nierenberg, 2008). The byproducts, containing toxic substances, are released to the rivers or other water bodies. Hence, both air and water is polluted.
The second problem of farming and animal consumption is competition for scarce natural resources. Water is the major natural resource. Every living thing competes for it. People have resorted to stocking many animals on small pieces of land (Weber& Matthews, 2008). Due to the increasing human population, water has become scarce.
Animals require water for drinking, and cultural practices like spraying. Humans too require water for domestic use and other recreational obligations. Therefore, competition sets in for this scarce commodity. For example, cattle require about 50 Liters of water per day (Adler & Lawler, 2012). Therefore, changes need to be made to reduce growing competition for water.
Farming
Farming techniques range from small to large production schemes. Besides, farmers farm for different reasons. In this regard, farmers choose different methods of farming based on their needs. They also use different technologies based on resources available and the kind of crops or animals they need.
Increase in consumption of agricultural products has placed immense pressure on production. Moreover, unpredictable climatic conditions have made it difficult for farmers to envisage and plan for agricultural activities in a timely manner. Additionally, forecasting, which aids farmers in planning for their calendars have also changed because of unpredictable weather.
Farmers have faced unpredictable future in their efforts to increase production of both plants and animals. Moreover, animal production has faced increased challenges ranging from scarcity of water to availability of perennial diseases, among others. Therefore, discussions on farming and animal consumption have dominated current debates. This has encompassed economic, social, political, and cultural forums. In essence, debate on farming methods and animal consumption has been a challenge not only to farmers but also to the society.
Animal consumption
Animal husbandry ranges from breeding to rearing of animals. Based on any given business model, farmers can rear dairy cattle, beef cattle, mink, swine, horses, sheep, chickens, turkeys, and rabbits, among others. Understandably, these animals consume food and water in various capacities.
Nonetheless, it should be noted that water is a necessity for all animals. Additionally, feeds are very essential. Current trends have shown that animals consume huge chunks of feeds and water. For instance, livestock can consume 50litres of water per day. Additionally, it can consume heaps of fodders. This makes it difficult to achieve efficiency in feeding them because of limited resources.
However, in the United States, animal husbandry has utilized modern technologies. Nonetheless, this has led to waste of resources. In fact, some quarters have suggested that food utilized in America alone, to feed animals could feed more than 800 million people. This is possible because most animals are kept in enclosed facilities where very little movement is allowed (Adler & Lawler, 2012).
New technologies and animal consumption
Keeping animals in enclosed areas have been found to cost farmers incredibly on animal consumption. Additionally, demand for meat in the world as well as in the United States has ensured that naturally reared animals cannot satisfy the demand. Therefore, it can be observed that a number of factors have forced hand in establishing current farming methods. Companies are after profits, which would sustain them.
Therefore, they spend billions of dollars in animal consumption to achieve their targets in the shortest time possible. However, the effects of such actions are rarely considered. In fact, companies tend to overlook such effects for the sake of profits. It has been established that resources utilized to feed animals in these systems have only continued to increase. Additionally, Animal rights activists have found it to be abusive when numerous animals are crowded in a small space thereby denying them the ability to walk freely.
Nonetheless, it should be noted that this trend has ensured farmers earn massively from their farms. When the economies of scale are estimated concerning animal rights, profitability would be highly reduced. For instance, poultry farming has been done with emphasis on enclosing several chicks in a small area.
However, it should be noted that if each chicken were to be given its own space, a large tract of land would be needed to rear just 1000 chicks. Therefore, return on investment would be lowered greatly, considering the high cost of land as well as the amount of inputs required to develop such places. In fact, if each chick were given its required space, big losses would be made.
This would not meet the demand for meat in the market. Therefore, it would increase pricing of chicken meet because of inadequate supply on an overwhelming demand for meat. Essentially, it is highly difficult to achieve profitability and at the same time give animals rights as desired by activists.
Discussion
From the information above , it can be observed that granting animals their rights as required, would require participation from all stakeholders, most especially, consumers of animal products such as meat, among others. It should also be noted that meat consumers would be the hardest hit in such a case since there would be inadequate meat to be supplied to customers. Additionally, those who depend on chicken meet would also have to shelve their desires since production of meat from chicken would be slowed.
It should also be noted that such a move would also affect egg production because fewer hens would have the opportunity to lay eggs. Essentially, animal rights would require people to reduce greatly on meat consumption. Additionally, it would require that farmers acquire additional land to be able to rear many animals. Moreover, the expenses involved in such an expedition would be high considering that farmers would need to take care of all the animals.
Such changes would require additional expenses such as labor, farm inputs and maintenance, among others. Most farming centers would be forced to ignore methods such as zero grazing and instead stick to traditional methods. The gains of technology would thus need to be ignored because of animal rights.
This is practically impossible. In fact, demand for meat is instead increasing despite the factors mentioned. It is, therefore, necessary to consider that numerous changes would be required to achieve the desires of animal activists. These would include reduction in meat consumption, innovation and invention of new technologies with emphasis on green technology as well as animal rights. It would also require that many people become vegetarians.
Additionally, it would require that most resources are put in place to cover for additional land and other inputs required for establishing new methods of farming. This would be historic since man would have to go back on civilization to achieve this feat.
Farming and animal consumption can thus be seen as a very significant topic since it tries to find ways of balancing technological advances and environmental awareness.
Activists are mainly concerned with climatic changes due to green house transmissions created by most animal production industries, among others. At the same time, they are concerned by the amount of feeds animal consume. Figures from various parts of the world show that animals consume large amounts of feeds as well as water as compared to irrigation in cultivation of green foods.
Moreover, animals consume more green products than people do. This means that pressure on green products is increased thereby depleting the ecosystem. Therefore, it should be considered that animals should be raised naturally to reduce pressure on the ecosystem. Additionally, factors involved in such actions would require that people reduce on meat consumption, a task that is impossible. Reduction is impossible since demand has led to these changes in technology and costing.
Analysis
Farming and animal consumption remains a constant debate concerning sustainability. Even if farmers wanted to consider other options of integrating natural farming methods, it is still a tall order to achieve what the environment and animal right activists want. Additionally, it should be noted that such changes would require adequate time for planning and systematic transition.
However, systematic transition in meat consumption would be another obstacle to implementation of green farming. In essence, such a move would require cooperation from all stakeholders involved. Moreover, it would require those involved to consider greatly, the implications associated with such a move. For instance, when people switch to green technology, it would be necessary to note if all nutrients required would be gained from green technology.
Additionally, it would also be important to consider if such a move would clamp on people’s right to consume whatever they like. In essence, such a move would have several repercussions. Farmers would also have to accept losses for some years before they become profitable, which is another obstacle to that quest.
It has been noted that animal consumption continues to increase due to rise in demand for meat. Additionally, animal consumption has also put pressure on available vegetation, which is shared by both domestic and wild animals as well as people. These have had big implications on climate and vegetation of the world.
There is increasing drought, global warming, and scorching heat. These repercussions are central to the call for re-evaluation of farming methods with focus on animal consumption, animal rights and environmental conservation. However, such feat can only be achieved when all stakeholders are involved in positive dialogue as well as when ways of reducing meat consumption are determined.
Conclusion
In conclusion, policies should be developed to ensure that food crop production remains higher than meat production. Therefore, farming and animal consumption is an important topic that can determine the survival of the environment, animals and human beings. Although, meat production is a source of food, it cannot sustain the whole population. Some Individuals in a population are vegetarians on religious basis. This group of people is affected more because most of the arable land is used for meat production.
References
Adler, J. & Lawler, A. (2012). How the Chicken Conquered the World. Smithsonian magazine. Web.
Kalof, L. (2012). Making animal meaning. East Lansing, United States: MSU Press.
Koneswaran, G., & Nierenberg, D. (2008). Global Farm animal production and global warming: Impacting and mitigating climate change. Journal of Environmental health prospect, 116(5), 578-582.
Pollan, M. (2007). Omnivore’s dilemma: A natural history of four meals. New York, NY: Penguin press.
Weber, C. L. & Matthews, H. (2008). Food-miles and the relative climate impacts of food choices in the United States. Journal of Environmental Science Technology, 42(10): 3508-3513.