Rigo Marquez Jazmin Loza Lisa Gomez Sara Gonzales Eng. 102 October 29, 201 !

ro"osal #or $%ange in Li&estoc' (reatment Regulations )n our societ*, muc% %as been sai+ about t%e im"ortance o# im"lementing t%e ,is+om o# t%e -Gol+en Rule. into our e&er*+a* li&es. )t states sim"l* t%at ,e s%oul+ /treat ot%ers equall* or better t%an ,e ,oul+ ,ant ot%ers to treat us0. 1%en "on+ering t%is et%ical conce"t, t%e #irst t%oug%t t%at comes to min+ is t%at t%e /ot%ers0 it re#ers to are ot%er %uman beings. 2ut coul+n.t it re#er to animals as ,ell3 Just li'e %umans, animals %a&e t%e ca"abilities to /#eel "ain, "leasure, #ear, #rustration, loneliness, an+ e&en mot%erl* lo&e0. 4!E(5, 201 6 E&en b* mo+ern utilitarian "oints o# &ie,, animals s%oul+ %a&e t%e same basic rig%ts to li&e as %umans. Regar+ing t%e rig%ts an+ ,el#are o# animals, utilitarian "%iloso"%er Jerem* 2ent%am state+, /(%e question is not can t%e* reason3 7or, can t%e* tal'3 2ut can t%e* su##er30 45nimal Et%ics, 20086 )n ot%er ,or+s, t%e crucial in+ication t%at a creature nee+s in or+er to %a&e rig%ts is t%e abilit* to su##er. )t %as been "ro&en t%at animals li'e co,s, %orses, +ogs, an+ ot%er s"ecies +o %a&e t%e abilit* to su##er. !et o,ners can gi&e testament to t%at, because t%e* see t%e ,a* t%eir "ets be%a&e +uring certain situations. 5nimals cannot +e#en+ t%eir rig%ts t%e same ,a* %umans can. 2ecause o# t%is, it is im"erati&e t%at t%eir in%umane treatment in #ee+lots s%oul+ come to a %alt. 5s t%e amount o# sa#et* recalls increase, more an+ more 5mericans are as'ing t%e question, /,%* +o t%e meat "ro+ucts ,e consume continue to become unsa#e to eat30 $onsumers are becoming ,ar* o# t%e meat "ro+ucts t%e* bu* because o# t%e un+erl*ing "ossibilit* t%at it

coul+ be recalle+ +a*s or ,ee's later. 1%ile +isease+ meat can be attribute+ to unsanitar* con+itions in "rocessing "lants, t%e main "roblem stems #rom t%e treatment o# li&estoc' be#ore t%e* reac% slaug%ter. (%ere %a&e been man* in&estigations ma+e to +etermine i# t%e treatment o# t%e li&estoc' use+ #or "rocessing is %umane. 9i+eos %a&e sur#ace+ t%at +e"ict an unimaginable amount o# cruelt* s%o,n to animals be#ore t%eir ine&itable slaug%ter. (%e :S;5 an+ t%e <;5 +oes not %a&e enoug% regulations "re&enting abuse an+ a+ministering antibiotics ,%en unnecessar*. 4nr+c.org=#oo+=sa&ing6 !%*sical %arm is not t%e onl* t%ing being +one, t%e en&ironment t%e* are assigne+ to li&e in is absolutel* in%umane as ,ell. (%e li&estoc' is not being ,ell 'e"t u" ,it%. 5nimals +o not %a&e a c%oice but to eat an+ slee" in #eces in t%e +ar'. Some animals are cage+ an+ unable to mo&e at all until slaug%ter. Li&estoc' t%en becomes contaminate+ ,it% bacteria t%at later cause illness or +eat%. (%e <;5 %as a""ro&e+ t%at antibiotics be a+ministere+ routinel* to all "ro+uct. (%e* belie&e t%is ,ill "re&ent more contamination. )nstea+, it is creating su"er bugs t%at are antibiotic resistant. (%e Go&ernment gi&es meat "ac'ing com"anies t%e abilit* to sel#>regulate, an+ as a result animals are being treate+ un#airl*. Man* met%o+s are em"lo*e+ b* "rocessing com"anies to en+ t%e li&es o# li&estoc' inclu+ing gun blo, to t%e %ea+, electrical current, t%roat slicing, +ro,ning in boiling ,ater, an+ gas c%ambers. 1or'ers li#ting t%em b* t%e legs t%en slamming t%em %ea+ #irst onto t%e #loor instantl* 'ill bab* "igs on site. 2ir+s are s%ac'le+ an+ sent +o,n an electrical ,ater current to in+uce %eart attac'. Some bir+s are also 'e"t in small cages in t%e +ar' an+ are routinel* being 'ic'e+ aroun+ all +a* b* ,or'ers. Most animals are 'e"t in enclosures surroun+e+ b* t%eir o,n #eces an+ urine. 2loo+ also #lo,s aroun+, carr*ing su"er bugs an+ ot%er illnesses. 5ntibiotics are a+ministere+ to t%em, %o"ing t%at t%e* ,ill 'ill most o# t%e bacteria be#ore it is being s"rea+.

;oing so limits ,%at t%e go&ernment sees #it #or ins"ections an+ clean u". (%e li&estoc' are also being #e+ a "oor an+ c%ea" +iet consisting o# corn? ,%ic% in a co,.s case can trigger t%e gro,t% o# E. coli. 1%ile co,s an+ c%ic'ens are gro,ing, ,or'ers %a&e been 'no,n to ste" on or t%ro, t%em. )n +oing t%is, t%e* cause bones to brea' an+ e&en cause +eat%. (%ese actions are not being sto""e+ or "re&ente+ because t%e Go&ernment sees t%at t%e "olicies an+ regulations are carrie+ out. 5s mentione+ earlier, t%e %abitat t%at t%e li&estoc' are assigne+ to %a&e been se&erel* tainte+ b* su"er bugs an+ bacteria cause+ b* "oor %uman actions. 5ntibiotics are gi&en to t%ese animals to 'ill o## some o# t%e bacteria t%at are le#t on meat "ro+ucts. )t %as been "ro&en t%at t%e antibiotics use+ #or t%ese treatments are &er* e##ecti&e in +estro*ing bacteria. )n #act, t%e* are so e##ecti&e in treating bacteria t%at t%e* %a&e s"a,ne+ t%e e&olution o# bacteria into one great source o# su"er bugs. Su"er bugs get t%eir name +ue to resistance o# common antibiotics an+ are t%ere#ore %ar+er to e@terminate. (%e number o# su"er bugs being create+ an+ release+ into t%e ecos*stem %as gro,n in "art because o# go&ernment "olicies t%at allo, meat com"anies to set t%eir o,n regulations. (%ese meat com"anies %a&e obtaine+ t%e abilit* to sel#>ins"ect instea+ o# %a&ing %ealt% ins"ectors as a result o# collusion bet,een go&ernment o##icials an+ lobb*ists re"resenting "rocessing com"anies. (%e ina+equate regulations "ose+ b* meat "rocessors coul+ %a&e been t%e cause o# t%e recent outbrea' o# Salmonella in <oster <arms c%ic'en "ro+ucts. 5ntibiotic resistant in#ections can lea+ to longer "erio+s o# illness an+ %os"italizations, ,%ic% can cause a more "ain#ul +eat%. (%e ;irector o# General 1orl+ Aealt% Organization, Margaret $%an, recentl* sai+, /(%ings as common as stre" t%roat or a c%il+.s scratc%e+ 'nee coul+ once 'ill again. . . 5 "ost>antibiotic era means, in e##ect, an en+ to mo+ern me+icine as ,e 'no, it.047*time.com=201 =0 =2B647r+c.org=#oo+6 $om"are+ to Euro"ean countries, ,e are still

man* *ears be%in+ ,it% regar+s to treatment o# li&estoc' meant #or consum"tion. )n 200C, Euro"ean countries en+e+ a+ministration o# !enicillin, Stre"tom*cin, an+ (etrac*cline 4,%ic% "romote+ #aster gro,t%6, to re+uce t%e causes o# #oo+ borne illnesses. )n 200C t%is act e@"an+e+ to t%e Euro"ean :nion. Euro"e sa, a great re+uction in su"er bugs b* +oing t%is an+ it actuall* raise+ "ro+uction b* D0E an+ t%e cost b* onl* 1E. 5bout 80E o# t%e antibiotics "urc%ase+ #or t%e :.S. is resource+ to li&estoc'. (%e $;$, or $enter o# ;isease $ontrol, issue+ a test s%o,ing t%at in 9CE o# sam"les ta'en o# meat "ro+uct, at least one antibiotic resistant bacterial #orm ,as #oun+. D2E ,ere "ositi&e #or multi> resistant antibiotics. (%e* con+uct an annual test #or bacteria an+ +iseases in #oo+. (ests s%oul+ be +one more o#ten, because o# t%e "oor li&estoc' con+itions t%at are cause+ b* ina+equate training o# ,or'ers. (%e "roblems li&estoc' in t%e :nite+ States are #acing are un#at%omable. (%e* #ace abuse #or most o# t%eir li&es u" until t%e* are slaug%tere+. )t is %ar+ to belie&e ,%at t%ese animals go t%roug% ,%ile t%e* are being raise+. (%e animals %a&e s"ecial treatments t%e* un+ergo to %el" t%em gro, at a #aster rate. Aormones 4antibiotics6 are being inFecte+ into t%em. (%e* are gro,ing at t,ice t%e rate t%e* gre, Fust #i#t* *ears ago. (%e li&ing arrangements #or t%ese animals are not %ealt%* #or t%em or t%e #armers. E&er*+a* somet%ing is going ,rong ,it% t%e li&estoc'. Ao,e&er all ,e +o is not "a* attention to t%ese "roblems an+ not +o an*t%ing about it. Li&estoc' animals #ace abuse #or most o# t%eir li&es. <or t%e maForit*, t%e abuse t%ese animals #ace is "oor li&ing con+itions, unnatural gro,t% rates an+ cruel +eat%s. /On to+a*Gs #actor* #arms, animals are cramme+ b* t%e t%ousan+s into #ilt%*, ,in+o,less s%e+s an+ con#ine+ to ,ire cages, gestation crates, barren +irt lots, an+ ot%er cruel con#inement s*stems.0 4!E(5.org6 (%e animals are #orce+ to not see an* sun lig%t, an+ not roam in t%eir natural %abitats. (%e* are also #orce+ to li&e in t%eir o,n #eces. )n or+er to %el" t%ese li&ing con+itions

an+ ma'e t%e li&es o# t%ese animals better t%ere s%oul+ at least be an allotte+ a time ,%en t%e* can roam in a natural en&ironment an+ also see sun lig%t. (%e ,or'ers t%en s%oul+ be more e##icient in maintaining t%e clean>u" o# t%ese animals. (%ere also s%oul+ be a regulation in "lace t%at tells #armers %o, man* animals t%e* can %a&e in an area or a cage at a time. (o ensure t%at #armers are #ollo,ing t%ese regulations, ins"ectors s%oul+ "er#orm ran+om, unsc%e+ule+ &isits to ensure %onest results. )# #armers are not #ollo,ing t%ese regulations t%e* s%oul+ be %ea&il* #ine+ an+ "ut on "robation. /)nFecting %ormones into *oung li&estoc' can ma'e t%em gain ,eig%t #aster. More ,eig%t means more meat, ,%ic% means more "ro#it #or t%e "ro+ucer. Aormones also increase t%e "ro+uction o# mil' b* +air* co,s.0 4Ao##man6 E&en t%oug% all o# t%ese are "ositi&es #or t%e #armers t%e* are %arm#ul #or t%e animals. 5nimals are gro,ing no, at ra"i+ rates an+ t%e* are not #ull* +e&elo"ing. $%ic'ens are gro,ing #aster t%an usual. (%eir breasts are so enlarge+ #rom t%e %ormones t%at it causes t%e c%ic'ens to not be able to ,al'. $o,s are getting mil'e+ more t%an once a +a* an+ are in "ain because t%e* %a&e "ro+uce+ too muc% mil'. $attle are also #e+ #oo+s t%at are not meant #or t%em to eat. Gro,ing at t%ese ra"i+ s"ee+s causes t%e animal.s inFur*, sic'nesses an+ consistent "ain. )n or+er to "romote %ealt%* gro,t%, t%ese animals s%oul+ be #e+ natural #oo+ suc% as grass, %a*, al#al#a, an+ &egetables. Man* #arms #ee+ t%eir animals corn, ,%ic% is can +angerous ,%en gi&en in %ig% amounts. )n or+er to #i@ t%is issue ,e nee+ to come u" ,it% a list o# a""ro"riate #oo+ items to #ee+ t%ese animals. )n or+er to ensure t%at #armers are #ee+ing t%e animals a "ro"er +iet ,e must +o ran+om c%ec's. E&en t%oug% t%e cruel treatment o# li&estoc' is causing multi"le "roblems, t%ere are solutions as ,ell. One ,a* t%at ,oul+ %el" t%is %orrible situation is i# t%e :S;5 ,oul+ ma'e ne, regulations. (%e "rimar* regulations t%at nee+ to be im"lemente+ %a&e to +o ,it%

em"lo*ees an+ %ealt% ins"ectors. Em"lo*ees s%oul+ be t%e #irst "riorit* because t%e* are t%e ones closest to t%e animals be#ore slaug%ter. Some ne, regulations ,oul+ inclu+e c%anging t%e %iring "rocess com"anies use to ensure "ros"ecti&e em"lo*ees can meet ne, stan+ar+s #or treatment o# li&estoc'. (%ese "eo"le s%oul+ be e&aluate+ to see i# t%e* %a&e enoug% e@"erience ,it% animals. (%e animals nee+ to be treate+ #airl* an+ equall*. (%e #uture em"lo*ees s%oul+ also be teste+ "s*c%ologicall*, to ma'e sure t%e* %a&e no intention to mistreat li&estoc'. 5 training "rogram s%oul+ be a+ministere+ to current em"lo*ees so t%at t%e* are also a,are o# t%e ne, regulations being "ut into "lace. (%e secon+ "riorit* in our solution ,oul+ be t%e %ealt% ins"ectors. $urrentl*, %ealt% ins"ectors t%at are being sent out to c%ec' t%e con+itions o# t%e animals are "ersua+e+ b* t%ese large com"anies not to tell t%e trut%? an+ %a&e someone ,it%in t%e com"an* to sel#>ins"ect #actories regar+ing t%e li&ing con+itions. (%is ,oul+ %a&e to c%ange, an+ t%e ,a* to +o t%at is to %a&e more in+e"en+ent %ealt% ins"ectors ,it% no ties to t%e "rocessing "lants t%e* are sent to ins"ect. (o manage t%ese ins"ectors a ne, regulator* commission ,oul+ %a&e to be #oun+e+, #un+e+ an+ su""orte+ b* ta@ "a*ers. Obtaining t%e #un+ing #rom ta@ "a*ers ,ill not %a&e t%e +rastic e##ects t%at some "eo"le ma* belie&e ,ill %a""en. 5lt%oug% t%e citizens ,oul+ %a&e to "a* #or t%e #un+ing o# t%e commission, t%e bene#its ,oul+ out,eig% t%e cost. )t ,oul+ be no +i##erent t%an t%e #un+ing t%e* alrea+* "ro&i+e to go&ernment "rograms li'e t%e :S;5. )# no in%umane treatment ,ere occurring to t%e li&estoc', t%ere ,oul+ be less ris' o# %a&ing contaminate+ "ro+ucts. )# t%ere are no contaminate+ "ro+ucts, t%en t%e consumers ,oul+ ultimatel* be %ealt%ier. 1%ile t%ese are large bene#its #or us %umans, t%e maFor bene#it ,oul+ be #or t%e et%ical treatment o# t%ese animals. E&en t%oug% t%e animals ,ill e&entuall* +ie, t%e* ,ill +o so in a more %umane "rocess. <rom a moral an+ et%ical "ers"ecti&e, t%e solution %as t%e abilit* to in+irectl* clear t%e

conscience o# consumers t%at eat meat "ro+ucts but ,ant to c%ange t%e "rocess o# %o, t%e meal came to be. 1%ile t%e s%ort term cost o# t%is solution ,oul+ be great, t%e long term bene#its ,oul+ Fusti#* it.

References

"Factory Farming: Cruelty to Animals." PETA.org. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, n.d. We . !" #ct. !$%&. 'atthe( )offman, W*We '* Feature Pro+ided in Colla oration (ith )ealthy Child )ealthy. ,-nderstanding Food .afety: Pesticides, )ormones, and Anti iotics in Food./ WebMD. We '*, %0 *ec. !$$0. We . !1 #ct. !$%&. "Factory Farming: Cruelty to Animals." PETA.org. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, n.d. We . !" #ct. !$%&. !anaman , R. 42008, 5"ril6. Jerem* bent%am. Retrie&e+ #rom %tt"H==,,,.animalet%ics.org.u'=bent%am>Ferem*.%tml Why animal rights2. 3!$%&4. Retrie+ed from http:55(((.peta.org5a out5(hy6 peta5(hy6animal6rights.aps7