Confined Animal Feeding Operations - CAFOs

ASM 336September 30, 2013

CAFO Characteristics

• High stocking rate • For economies of scale (highest output at the lowest

cost)

• Artificial methods to insure health and improve production• Antibiotics & pesticides

• Modern machinery and, often, biotechnology• Breeding programs to produce animals suited to

confined conditions and a consistent food product

Confinement Operations• Usual species: cows, pigs, turkeys, chickens

Concerns

• Large amounts of waste products• Dead animals• Concentration of animals• Lack of pasture• Lack of movement

• De-beaking of chickens (which averts vicious fighting & cannibalism)• Confinement of sows in gestation crates (which

keeps them from fighting)

UK, Farm Animal Welfare Council

• Five freedoms:• Freedom from hunger & thirst• Freedom from discomfort, pain, injury or disease• Freedom to express normal behavior• Freedom from fear• Freedom from distress

U.S. Survey

• Which of the following is of highest importance?• Animals properly fed, watered, housed, and

treated for injury and disease • Natural animal behavior & comfort • Price of food

U. S. Consumer Survey

• Consumer Ranking1. Natural animal behavior & comfort (46%)2. Animals properly fed, watered, housed, and treated

for injury and disease (40%)3. Price of food (14%)

• Consumers generally report that “a high standard of animal care” is their biggest concern, defined as: • Allowing natural behaviors• Outdoor exercise• Shelter• Socialization• Comfortable bedding

Human Health

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):• Farms on which animals are intensively reared can

cause adverse health reactions in farm workers• Workers may develop acute and chronic lung disease,

musculoskeletal injuries, and may catch infections that transmit from animals to human beings

• Chemical, bacterial, and viral compounds from animal waste may travel in the soil and water

• Residents near such farms report nuisances such as unpleasant smell, flies and adverse health effects

Animal HealthConfinement and overcrowding impacts on animals:• Can provide optimum conditions for viral

mutations and transmission• Causes a lack of natural locomotion and exercise

which weakens bones and muscles• Selection of generations of birds for faster growth

rates and higher meat yields has led to • A high degree of genetic uniformity • Immune systems less able to cope with infections

Indiana CAFO StudyJune 19, 2009

Report:• Surveyed 50 swine and dairy operation

personnel in 8 counties (Benton, Cass, Huntington, Jasper, Jay, Randolph, Wabash, and Wells) • Represented the largest concentration of animal

facilities in the state• There were approximately 645 CAFO operations

in Indiana at the time of the study

Partner Work

• Talk with your assigned partner to answer questions 5 – 9 on your notes (both)• Guess the answers that were found in a 2009

research project – CAFO operators were questioned• You have 5 minutes • I will share what the IN swine and dairy

operation personnel actually reported

CAFO Question Partners• K Bender/T Peters• M Burke/D Pike• J Bunchek/B Popp• T Clemens/ L Roederer• C Keown/M Rosenberg• J Lambert/M Yearwood• J Pelsy/D Zumwalt• K Fischer/C Schuman• D Harbison/M Warstler• S Metcalf/J Waterman• M Misch/L Weiss

• C Noyes/S Williams• J Paarlberg/J Wint• N Redelman/A Yaggie• D= Romesberg/P Hellwarth• K Brown/E Geis• J Cale/A Guckien• J Carter/C Huston• L Christman/A Lupfer• J Crum/G Meents• A Cupp/J Nannet

Demographics & Acceptance

• The average operator was younger and more educated than the average Indiana farmer

• CAFO operators faced little opposition in the siting process• A few operators reported that their siting process was

opposed by individuals or organized groups

• 80% of surveyed operators reported that community response as mostly positive or all positive

IN CAFO Study – Personnel

• CAFO operators make greater use of hired labor than typical farm operations and wages are higher (average $12.38 per hour, compared to an average farm wage of $8.50 an hour)

• Hired labor varies from hired managers to part-time help

IN CAFO Study - Environmental

• Environmental violations by CAFO operations were uncommon

• In the counties in the study, less than 1% of CAFOs were cited for water quality violations

• Conclusion: there was little evidence to suggest that the size or type of operation predicts an increase in the chance of an environmental violation occurring

IN CAFO Study - Economic

• CAFO operators make large feed and supplies purchases both locally and regionally

• Some CAFOs generate enough added tax revenue to cover the added costs they create for a county but some do not

• All eight counties have zoning ordinances that apply to land use

• Each county approaches CAFO regulations differently, from”• All decisions made on a case-by-case basis • …to…• Clearly defined development standards and land-use zones

CAFO Fact Sheets

• Talk with your assigned partner (as before) read and discuss the CAFO fact sheet you are given• Answer questions 10-12 on your class notes

(both)• I will use the bullet points to report to the entire

class on Wednesday so we all have the information from all the fact sheets• Turn in your class notes today

Partners• K Bender/T Peters• M Burke/D Pike• J Bunchek/B Popp• T Clemens/ L Roederer• C Keown/M Rosenberg• J Lambert/M Yearwood• J Pelsy/D Zumwalt• K Fischer/C Schuman• D Harbison/M Warstler• S Metcalf/J Waterman• M Misch/L Weiss

• C Noyes/S Williams• J Paarlberg/J Wint• N Redelman/A Yaggie• D= Romesberg/P Hellwarth• K Brown/E Geis• J Cale/A Guckien• J Carter/C Huston• L Christman/A Lupfer• J Crum/G Meents• A Cupp/J Nannet

Reading Assignment

• Choose one of the articles listed under “Air Quality”• Diet and Feed Management Practices Affect Air Quality from

Poultry and Swine Operations (AS-582-W)• Dust Management in Horse Facilities (ID-444-W)• Forests and Our Environment (FNR-139-W)• Matching Multiple Ventilation Fans (BV-1-W)

• You will be asked to summarize the article on Wednesday (‘closed book’)• Title, author, and main points (bullet list)