The “All Species Equity”
Shocking Facts
Billions of Animals Killed Annually
Global Livestock Slaughter
- Chickens: Approximately 50 billion chickens are killed annually for meat and eggs.
- Pigs: About 1.5 billion pigs are killed each year for pork production.
- Cattle: Around 300 million cattle are killed annually for beef and dairy products.
- Sheep and Goats: Approximately 500 million sheep and goats are killed each year for meat and wool production.
Animal Welfare in High-Density Farming
Shocking Figures Revealed
- Chickens: In broiler chicken farms, up to 20 chickens per square meter are kept, leading to stress and disease.
- Pigs: Sows in intensive pig farming are often kept in gestation crates measuring 0.6 x 2 meters, preventing them from turning around.
- Cattle: In feedlots, cattle are kept in confined areas with densities of up to 1.5 square meters per animal, causing health issues.
- Fish: In aquaculture, fish are kept in tanks or cages with densities of up to 50 kg per cubic meter, resulting in poor water quality and disease spread.
The Plight of Livestock in Modern Farming
Silent Suffering
- Mastitis in Dairy Cows: Approximately 30-50% of heifers suffer from mastitis, an infection of the udders that causes swelling and makes milking excruciating.
- Sheep Mulesing: In Australia, sheep are often subjected to a practice called mulesing, where large chunks of flesh are cut from their hindquarters to prevent flystrike. This procedure is done without anesthesia and causes significant pain.
- Slaughterhouse Practices: In some slaughterhouses, hogs are not properly stunned before being dunked in tanks of hot water to soften their hides for skinning. This can result in hogs being scalded alive, causing extreme suffering.
- Fur Farming: Animals on fur farms, such as minks and chinchillas, are kept in tiny cages and often killed in painful ways, such as electrocution or being skinned alive.
- Factory Farm Abuse: Undercover investigations have revealed widespread abuse in factory farms, including physical abuse by workers and neglect of sick or injured animals.
