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May 31, 2013

Farm Animal Welfare

Science and research

The Humane Society of the United States

  • Current research shows that animal welfare is sorely lacking in many animal industries. iStockphoto

Around the world, animals used for meat, eggs, and dairy often suffer on factory farms where they are treated as units of production rather than sentient creatures.

The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International present comprehensive reports on animal agribusiness and its toll on farm animal welfare, the environment, and public health. We invite you to browse through our research library.

Each report listed below is available online as a downloadable PDF.

Industry Impacts on Animals


General and Overview

  • Animal Welfare and Human Health Risks of Transport (published in Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, 2007)
  • Animal Welfare in the Meat, Egg, and Dairy Industries
  • Genetic Engineering and Cloning
  • The Welfare of Intensively Confined Animals
  • Trait Selection and Welfare of Genetically Engineered Animals in Agriculture (published in American Society of Animal Science, 2010)
  • Transgenesis in Animal Agriculture: Addressing Animal Health and Welfare Concerns (published in Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2010)
  • Transgenesis in Animal Agriculture and Zoonotic Disease Resistance (published in Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International, 2011)

     

    The Broiler Chicken and Turkey Industries

  • About Chickens
  • About Turkeys
  • Animal Welfare and Food Safety Aspects of Confinding Broiler Chickens to Cages (published in Animals, 2013)
  • Animal Welfare in the Broiler Chicken Industry
  • Animal Welfare in the Turkey Industry
  • Breeding for Rapid Growth in Poultry
  • Caponizing Chickens
  • Manual Catching of Poultry
  • Transport of Day-Old Chicks
  • The Welfare of Birds at Slaughter (published in Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2010)

     

    The Egg Industry

  • About Chickens
  • Animal Welfare in the Egg Industry
  • Scientists and Experts: Battery Cages
  • Breeding for Egg Production
  • Food Safety in Egg Production Systems
  • Hen Welfare in Battery Cages and Alternative Systems
  • The Welfare of Intensively Confined Animals
  • Understanding Mortality Rates of Laying Hens in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems
  • Welfare Issues with Furnished Cages for Egg-Laying Hens

     

    The Foie Gras and Duck Industries

  • Animal Welfare in the Foie Gras Industry
  • Animal Welfare in the Duck Industry
  • Scientists and Experts: Force-Feeding

     

    The Pig Industry

  • Animal Welfare in the Pig Industry
  • Economics of Alternatives to Gestation Crates
  • The Welfare of Intensively Confined Animals
  • Scientists and Experts: Gestation Crates
  • Welfare Issues with Gestation Crates
  • Welfare of Breeding Sows in The Pig Industry
  • Welfare of Piglets in The Pig Industry

     

    The Beef Industry

  • The Meat, Egg, and Dairy Industries
  • Welfare of Calves in the Beef Industry

     

    The Dairy Industry

  • The Welfare of Cows in the Dairy Industry
  • Tail Docking in Dairy Cows

     

    The Veal Industry

  • Animal Welfare in the Veal Industry
  • The Welfare of Intensively Confined Animals

     

    The Aquatic Animal Industries

  • About Fish
  • Animal Welfare in the Aquaculture Industry
  • Animal Welfare and Organic Aquaculture in Open Systems (published in Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2009)
  • Fish and Pain Perception
  • Welfare of Crustaceans at Slaughter
  • Welfare of Farmed Fish at Slaughter

     

    Industry Impacts on the Environment and Human Health


    Environmental Implications

  • Animal Agriculture and Climate Change
  • Animal Agriculture and the Environment
  • Fact Sheet: Climate Change
  • Factory Farming in America: The True Cost
  • Global Farm Animal Production and Global Warming (published in Environmental Health Perspectives, 2008)
  • Health Professionals and Climate Change (published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2009)
  • Implications of Farm Animal-Based Bioenergy Production

     

    Human Health Implications

  • Impacts of Factory Farms on Local Communities (published in Family and Community Health, 2010)
  • Cage vs. Cage-Free Eggs (Food Safety)
  • Chicken and Turkey Live Hang and Worker Safety
  • Fact Sheet: Non-Therapeutic Antibiotic Use
  • Factory Farming in America: The True Cost
  • Food Safety and Foie Gras (published in International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition and Public Health, 2008)
  • Food Safety Concerns with Downed Cattle Slaughter
  • Food Safety Risks Associated with U.S. Horse Slaughter
  • Health Professionals and Animal Agriculture (published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2009)
  • Human Health and Animal Welfare Risks of Transport (published in Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, 2007)
  • Industrialized Animal Agriculture and Rural Communities
  • Industrialized Animal Agriculture and World Hunger
  • Live Bird Markets and Avian Influenza
  • Non-Therapeutic Antibiotic Use
  • Poultry Production and Avian Influenza
  • Transgenesis in Animal Agriculture and Zoonotic Disease Resistance (published in Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International, 2011)
  • Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (published in Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 2007)

     

    Animal Industry Statistics


    Statistics

  • U.S. Slaughter Totals
  • U.S. Per Capita Dairy and Egg Consumption
  • U.S. Top 5 Production States in 2012

     

    • For research and information on the global animal agriculture industry, please visit hsi.org/farmanimalresearch.