Factory farming systems demand fast-growing or high-yielding animals. They achieve this through selective breeding and the use of concentrated feed. This puts the animals at risk of developing often-painful physiological problems. Lameness, weakened or broken bones, infections and organ failure are common health problems for factory farmed animals. Antibiotics or other growth-promoting treatments are used in some countries to encourage even higher yields*.

Factory farmed meat chickens grow so fast that 25% suffer from painful lameness.

CIWF (2005)⁷

*The use of antibiotics to promote farm animal growth is outlawed in the EU but legal in a number of countries. In the United States, around 80% of all antibiotics are believed to be used on farm animals^8,9.

But don't just take our word for it

…the law alone is not always strong or detailed enough to ensure that [farm animals] have a good quality of life.

Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) (2011)¹⁰

So what?

Factory farming mistreats animals. By taking action against factory farming, we are not just creating a food and farming revolution; we are also helping to stop an inhumane way of producing food that leads to the cruel mistreatment of billions of animals.

If you want to get involved consider joining a local group , read our strategic plan or find out what it takes to write a good campaigning letter.