What is the first thing most college students do when they wake up in the morning or before they go to bed at night? Check Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram of course. While browsing through these various social media sites, conflict concerning one topic or another may arise. It’s inevitable, actually, one person’s opinion may offend another and so on so forth. With advancements in agriculture technology and practices, the field is constantly changing and growing. One growing topic within the livestock industry, in particular, is the issue of Animal Welfare.
First off, what exactly is Animal Welfare and how can it be defined? As defined by the American Veterinary Medical Foundation, animal welfare is:
"How an animal is coping with the conditions in which it lives. An animal is in a good state of welfare if it is healthy, comfortable, well nourished, safe, able to express innate behavior, and if it is not suffering from unpleasant states such as pain, fear, and distress."
So naturally, it is assumed that all animals are responsibly treated and cared for in a comfortable environment and do not endure unnecessary suffering. One question that arises, however, is do all caretakers practice good Animal Welfare? What if they were accused of not caring about their livestock anymore? As previously mentioned, technology and practices within agriculture are constantly growing in order for farmers to increase both production and profits. Do livestock prodcuers only care about making a lot of money and making it fast?
My personal response to all the questions mentioned above is no. Being the third generation on my family farm, I have seen the ins and outs of agriculture from day one. For instance, I have fond memories of helping Dad bottle feed calves and riding along on the Allis Chalmers to feed cows. Even today I still enjoy halter breaking calves with my brother for the county fair and checking cows out in the pasture with Mom. Although farming has most definitely changed since the early 90's, I can confidently say that the heart and soul that goes into it has not. Farmers go above and beyond to ensure their livestock has all freedoms they are entitled to, such as: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury, or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress.
In recent years, however, the number of livestock operations has fallen and production has shifted to larger and more specialized operations. According to the USDA, changes in livestock production have important implications for economic efficiency, final product prices, water and air pollution, food safety, and rural development. These changes in livestock production can be explained using basic economics. When the demand for a certain product increases, in this case livestock, the production of the product must also increase. In order for farmers to keep up with the demands of a fast-paced world, they must efficiently use their resources to keep up with production. However, along with supply and demand come the “good years” and the “bad years”. Nothing is ever guaranteed in the world of agriculture. Like my dad once told me, “Farmers don’t raise livestock for the money; they raise them because it’s their passion.”
I'll leave you with this food for thought, and (as always) if you have any questions or concerns feel free to comment!
Until we meet again.
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