The paper will give answers to different issues and analyse these throughout. For example it will introduce the topic with the question why factory farming has occupied such an important significance within today’s society and whether this way of production can effectively satisfy the needs of the society. The essence of this paper is the ethical aspect of factory farming.
The most important questions raised will be if such an amount of animals has to die in order that human race is feeding better, and whether the welfare of humanity can ethically justify the suffering of animals. The document is divided into two parts. The first section will explain the term factory farming and deal with the economic component of it. The second part will refer to the ethical aspect of killing massive numbers of animals. It will give an insight into ethical perspectives and analyse the theme of the first part with the help of the ethical view. In this way it is tried to give a complete overview on the subject regarding business ethics in the range of animal husbandry.
Due to increasing prosperity, the requirement for eating meat is rising steadily and today meat consumption is a firmly established component of nourishment in western countries and, increasingly, in developing and emerging countries. Consumption in Japan, for example, has increased more than six fold since 1960. Further, the increase in China is higher than 15 times. The divisive factor is that the consumption of beef, for example, has decreased almost worldwide, while the consumption of chicken has increased noticeable. The USA represents this fact very prominently, as the consumption of beef decreased by 20 per cent between 1975 and 2010, whilst the chicken consumption has tripled. The turning point was in 1990, when there was more chicken consumption than beef consumption for the first time. Considering that this trend can not only be noticed in the USA, but rather worldwide, this document will focus on the meat production of the so-called chickens for fattening and examine the economic and ethical benefit in more detail.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 Factory Farming from an Economic Point of View
1.1 Facts and Economical Benefit
1.2 Consequences of Factory Farming
2 Factory Farming from an Ethical Point of View
2.1 Handling of Chickens for Fattening within the Factory
2.2 Utilitarian Point of View
3 Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper examines the tension between economic necessity and ethical responsibility in the context of industrial poultry production. It investigates whether the global demand for inexpensive meat can ethically justify the suffering of animals and the systemic issues inherent in mass livestock farming.
- Economic rationales behind factory farming and rising global meat consumption.
- The physical and medical consequences of intensive poultry fattening.
- Ethical evaluation of industrial animal husbandry through the lens of utilitarianism.
- The societal role of animal welfare versus profit-oriented production.
- Critical analysis of current corporate and political approaches to meat production.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 FACTS AND ECONOMICAL BENEFIT
To be able to discuss and analyse the theme and the meaning of factory farming, the question first arises: What is understood by the term factory farming in the proper sense? Factory farming, also known as animal husbandry, denotes concentrated keeping of animals, especially poultry, cattle and pigs, in vast numbers living in the smallest spaces to produce animal based foods. It is a term that is difficult to explain in more detail, but all the more easy to detect. More specifically, it is a matter of a system of intensive and industrial agriculture, by which often up to ten thousand animals are squeezed in into stables to wait for their slaughter.
In Germany alone, more than 638 million chickens for fattening were slaughtered in 2014 to offset the steadily rising meat demand, which is at an average of eleven kilograms per German citizen. Regarding the term factory farming, the answer to the question how do meat producers deal with the high demand of meat, is obvious. The stock density in German stables reaches a total of up to 42 kilograms live weight per square metre, which equals more than 26 chickens living on one square metre. As a consequence, a chicken has no more space as if living on a DIN A4 sheet. In comparison to laying hens, which are solely responsible for the production of eggs, a chicken for fattening has considerably less space. But exactly this saving of space makes it possible for producers to withstand the ever-growing pressure to produce more meat. Essentially, one can say that the production of chicken equals an industrial production. The fact that the slaughter is conducted with the help of machines is assisting this statement.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides an overview of the global rise in meat consumption and outlines the paper's focus on the economic and ethical aspects of industrial poultry production.
1 Factory Farming from an Economic Point of View: Analyzes the industrial nature of modern poultry production, its economic drivers, and the negative consequences, such as antibiotic use and environmental impact.
2 Factory Farming from an Ethical Point of View: Explores the treatment of animals in mass production and evaluates these practices using utilitarian ethics and the philosophical perspectives of Peter Singer.
3 Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, arguing that the societal demand for cheap meat does not justify the moral costs of industrial suffering and suggests a need for a shift in consumer behavior.
Keywords
Factory farming, poultry, animal husbandry, ethics, utilitarianism, meat consumption, antibiotics, animal welfare, sustainability, Peter Singer, speciesism, industrial agriculture, food security, animal rights, moral status.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this paper?
The paper examines factory farming, specifically poultry production, by analyzing whether the economic benefits of industrial meat production can be justified from an ethical perspective.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The work covers economic drivers of meat consumption, the physical conditions of chickens in industrial farming, the use of antibiotics, environmental impacts, and ethical theories regarding animal suffering.
What is the main research question of this study?
The study asks whether the welfare of humanity and the demand for affordable food can ethically justify the mass suffering and killing of animals in factory farming systems.
Which scientific approach is utilized?
The author uses a multidisciplinary approach, combining statistical economic data with ethical frameworks, primarily drawing upon utilitarian philosophy to evaluate the morality of industrial practices.
What does the main body of the work address?
The main body is divided into an economic analysis of current production methods—including the impact on chickens and the environment—and an ethical evaluation of these practices using utilitarian concepts and the views of Peter Singer.
Which keywords characterize the study?
Key terms include factory farming, utilitarianism, animal welfare, sustainability, and moral status of animals.
How does the paper categorize the Cobb 500 chicken?
The author identifies the Cobb 500 as a competitive breeder and one of the most popular species in the meat processing industry, specifically bred for high meat yield.
What is the author's stance on the industry's claim regarding meat demand?
The author argues that the industry's claim—that factory farming is necessary to feed society—is a pretext used to favor profit maximization rather than a true necessity for human survival.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding the ethics of factory farming?
The author concludes that the suffering caused to animals is not morally justifiable and suggests that society should move toward reduced meat consumption and more ethical farming practices.
- Citar trabajo
- Anna Rüttger (Autor), 2016, Factory Farming. Economical and ethical examination on poultry meat, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/374939
