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Essay / Effects of separating animals during infancy from their mothers in factory farming
Factories separate the mother and the young and artificially raise the young in order to ensure the continuity of breeding or to increase food production to meet global demand. However, just as the separation of human mother and child causes stress in individuals, the separation of farm animals from their young causes behavioral, social, and emotional consequences in the offspring. This document aims to raise awareness among farmers and consumers of the impacts of separation from mothers on the young of farm animals. He hopes to encourage farmers to allow young animals to be raised by their mothers instead of being artificially raised and persuade consumers to support maternal breeding. This article covers the effects of separating dairy cows, lambs, and chickens during infancy from their mothers in factory farming. It does not cover how separation affects mothers. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe increase in food production is caused by the rapid expansion of the food market on a global scale. Population and economic growth creates wealthy family incomes, thereby increasing the demand for food. As few people are willing to try plant-derived proteins, the growing demand for a meat protein-focused diet is leading to an increase in demand for meat. The solution at hand is artificial agriculture, which has disastrous consequences for young animals. The first days after birth are the most crucial in determining the health of the young. It is therefore important that young animals are guided by their mother. When a chick is separated from its mother hen, it may develop abnormal behavior such as feather pecking. Separated chicks may also fail to decipher different chicken calls and when threats are nearby, they may fail to detect them and escape in time. For dairy calves, separating them from their mothers and the herd could stimulate stress, leading to decreased sociality and therefore less behavioral activity. When they are isolated, they would be less active. Likewise, ewes and lambs can become emotionally stressed. This can lead to increased vocalization, decreased mobility, and an increased cortisol response. Their immune system may also deteriorate, affecting their health. Maternal rearing is defined as letting the mother and her offspring grow up together. This leads to a strong bond between mother and cubs. For chickens, hens teach their young to peck, rest, and deal with threats. Their presence also helps reduce stress in chicks. Chicks raised by their mothers are not as anxious and might synchronize their behaviors better with other chickens than those raised artificially. In dairy cows, when calves are able to grow with the herd and their mother, the calves have a high level of social interactions and few abnormal sucking behaviors. They are able to learn social skills and manage stress. As with ewes and lambs, maternal rearing is defined as late weaning. This means that the lambs will be separated from their mothers later. Late weaning causes less stress in lambs because their bodies are more developed and their immune systems can therefore defend their bodies against disease and,.