Intensively-raised

Describing livestock, poultry, or other animals kept in confined spaces and managed with practices designed to maximize production, often involving high stocking densities, controlled environments, and specialized feeding regimes. It prioritizes efficiency in terms of land use, labor, and resource input, with the primary goal of producing the highest possible yield of meat, eggs, or other animal products. This method often employs technologies such as artificial lighting, climate control, and automated feeding systems. Concerns associated with this practice include animal welfare, environmental impacts (such as waste disposal and greenhouse gas emissions), and potential public health risks.

Intensively-raised meaning with examples

• The factory farm utilized intensively-raised chickens, maximizing production by housing thousands in a single barn. The controlled environment ensured consistent growth rates, and automated feeding minimized labor costs. However, animal welfare advocates criticized the practice, citing cramped living conditions and a lack of natural behaviors for the birds, and raising concerns over the use of antibiotics.
• Large-scale pig farming commonly involves intensively-raised pigs in concrete pens, fed a diet designed for rapid weight gain. This system, while efficient, can contribute to significant water pollution due to the high concentration of manure produced. The cost savings of this approach has made pork an affordable meat, though at an environmental cost.
• The market now offers eggs from both free-range and intensively-raised hens. The choice reflects consumers' different priorities, with some opting for lower prices associated with mass production and others prioritizing animal welfare and environmental impact, even if they pay more. These two approaches vary considerably in their use of space, food, and animal care.
• Studies are comparing the nutritional profiles of beef produced through intensively-raised and grass-fed methods. Differences in the animals' diets and living conditions can lead to variations in fat content, and the proportions of certain vitamins and minerals. While some find that a lower cost allows access to adequate protein in an intensively-raised system, others will pay a premium for more nuanced nutritional profiles.