Confinement Operations
By Ty and Emilee
Positive and negative effects of confinement operations on animal agriculture
Positive- It's a more efficient way to house and feed animals. These animals are generally cheaper to buy for human consumption rather than an organic cow.
Negative- They pose a health risk to surrounding areas. There is an increase of pollution to water, air, and soil. And diseases easily spread among the animals in confinement.
Common misconceptions
Factory farms aren't buying all the local farms and forcing those farmers off their lands. Another is that there are standards on the livestocks food, so they aren't just being fed garbage or scraps. The last misconception is that there actually is human interaction with the animals.
Reports of abuse or cruelty
Some farms put their chickens in such small cages that they cant spread their wings. Factory farmers also put breeding pigs and veal calves in cages hardly bigger than them. Small confinements prevent animals from getting needed exercise. Some farmers will beat their livestock if they aren't doing what they want them to, some even die.
What might happen if confinement operations are stopped?
There would be a lot more small farms, but that would limit the amount of large production livestock. There would also be less pollution in the air, water, and soil due to the lack of manure entering them. Poultry, cattle, and hog prices would rise for consumption.