7.5.2 Farming Techniques

Methods to Improve Efficiency:

1. Reducing Energy Loss:

• Restricted Movement: Livestock are often kept in small enclosures or cages to limit their movement. Less movement means less energy is spent on physical activity, allowing more energy from food to be converted into biomass.
• Controlled Environment: Animals are kept in environments with regulated, high temperatures to reduce the energy they would otherwise use to maintain their body temperature.

2. Optimising Growth:

• High-Protein Diets: Livestock are fed high-protein diets to promote faster growth, which increases the amount of biomass produced.

Ethical Concerns:

• Animal Welfare: This intensive farming method raises significant ethical concerns. Animals are often kept in cramped, confined spaces, leading to distress and poor living conditions.
• Health Risks: The close quarters increase the risk of disease spreading rapidly among the animals, potentially leading to the use of antibiotics, which can have broader health implications.

• Profit vs. Welfare: While these techniques are designed to maximise efficiency and profit, they often do so at the expense of animal welfare, sparking debates about the ethical implications of intensive farming.