Dire Consequences of Intensive Farming Practices

Press Release

New Report on Zoonotic Diseases Highlights Dire Consequences of
Intensive Farming Practices on the Health of Animals and People

The intensification of modern farming is an increasing hazard for human health. That is the stark message of a new report released today (30/05/13) by Compassion in World Farming and the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA).

The report, Zoonotic Diseases, Human Health and Farm Animal Welfare, warns that the increasing tendency to rear animals in confined spaces, using breeds and intensive management methods to increase production to satisfy the world’s growing appetite for meat is putting human health at risk.

The bacteria Campylobacter, Salmonella and E. coli all cause serious disease in people, and can even be fatal. Intensive farming practices are increasing the risk of these bacteria in our food, as stressed animals become more susceptible to infection.

The report finds the risk of swine and bird flu pandemics could be increased by intensive pig and poultry farms. These farms are often in the same area, having concentrated numbers of confined animals, potentially enhancing the risk of avian influenza transferring to pigs. The reassortment of the virus can lead to new strains that are infectious to humans. Additionally, the transporting of animals over long distances also increases the risk of spread and mixing of virus strains from animals to each other.

Levels of Enterohaemorrhagic E.Coli (EHEC) in the UK and the US are very different, which is likely due to the intensive indoor farming of beef cattle in the US. Rather than rearing cattle on pasture, which is common in the UK (and NZ), cattle are fed grain in feedlots increasing E. coli in the gut of cattle, which can contaminate meat at slaughter.

Studies of beef cattle in the US indicate EHEC may be present in the intestines or on the hides of 20-28% of cattle at slaughter and in 43% of meat samples after processing. Levels in the UK are lower, with only 4.7% of cattle intestine samples testing positive. The US has around 73,000 human cases a year, compared to fewer than 1,000 in England and Wales, a significant difference even when the population discrepancy is taken into account.

Other practices present throughout the world also cause health risks. For example, the practice of “thinning” meat chickens – taking around 30% of birds from an intensive poultry shed one week before the rest of the flock in order to maximise the total amount of meat that can be produced in the given space – raises the stress levels of the remaining birds and increases their susceptibility to Campylobacter, the single biggest identified cause of food poisoning in much of the developed world.

The use of fast growing breeds, which are large enough for slaughter at just five to six weeks old, may also increase the risk of Campylobacter, and evidence shows that the infection is now going into the birds’ organs, making products like chicken liver a food poisoning risk.

Eggs from hens in cages are likely to have a higher risk of Salmonella in comparison to eggs from hens in cage-free systems, particularly in countries where hens are not routinely vaccinated against the bacteria, such as the US.

Dil Peeling, Director of Campaigns at Compassion in World Farming, said: “Our new report makes for worrying reading. We need to act to defuse this human health time bomb before it’s too late.

“Animals need, and deserve, to be in higher welfare systems. This report suggests that, as well as being better for animals, higher welfare systems mean less of a disease risk for us. The risks posed by intensive farming are real and need to be addressed for our health and the health of our children.”

WSPA Chief Scientific Advisor Michael Appleby said: “Stress is bad for both animals and humans. It increases susceptibility to infection and disease, with potentially serious effects. To protect both animal and human health, managing animals in ways that ensure their welfare must be a priority.”

The report finds that Governments, Inter-Governmental Organisations (IGOs) and the food production industry must urgently work together to implement the following recommendations:

• Ensure health – by developing farming policies for humane sustainable food supplies that ensure the health of animals and people. This includes using animal breeds, diets and management conditions that minimise stress and optimise animal welfare and immunity.

• Surveillance and vaccination – helping minimise the spread of disease.

• Limit transport – ensuring animals are slaughtered humanely on or near to the farm where they were raised.

• Invest in research and knowledge transfer – helping support farmers to develop and implement higher welfare livestock systems.

• Reduce non–therapeutic antibiotic use – limiting the risk of antibiotic resistance.

• Encourage consumers to eat less and higher welfare meat – reducing the risk of exposure to food infected with Salmonella, Campylobacter or E. Coli.

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