Fellow Creature or Material Supplier for the Modern Community Fellow Creature or Material Supplier for the Modern Community? . Farming Animals between Ethic Responsibility and Economic Realizability presented by Michèle B., Wilhelmshaven (11th grade)

Content: 1. Ethic Responsibility 2 Content: 1. Ethic Responsibility 2. History of Factory Farming in Germany 3. Increasing Rates of Consumption of Different Animals Products from 1950 to 1995 4. Methods of Rationalizing in Factory Farming 5. Biological Farming of Animals as an Alternative 6. Some German Organizations for Promotion of Alternative Farming 7. Transportation and Slaughtering in Factory Farming 8. Conclusion 9. Literature

Ethic Responsibility All farm animals are vertebrates and able to feel pain. They are trying to avoid pain and so the human is not allowed to cause it. All farm animals have needs and behaviour which are specific for their race. These aspects are important to be satisfied by the owner to guarantee appropriate living conditions.

History of Factory Farming in Germany Until the end of 1960s factory farming was not known in Germany at all. Animal products were too expensive and rare to buy. After World War II and the new prosperity caused by industrial success, people had more money to buy luxury products as meat, milk and eggs. Consumption of animal products increased rapidly. Production should be minimum in investment and maximum in profit. Supermarkets ask for cheap products.

Increasing Rates of Consumption of Different Animals Products from 1950 to 1995 Consumption of pig meat: 275% Consumption of chicken: 1000% Consumption of eggs: 162% Today‘s yearly consumptions: Pig meat 83,3 kg

Methods of Rationalizing in Factory Farming Bigger farms and bigger halls with more animals in them were established. Beaks (poultry), tails (cows and pigs), horns (cows) and teeth (pigs) are allowed to be cut off without anesthesia. Animals are bred so they have a high output. Genetically manipulated food is allowed. They have no right per law to go outside. The space is very tight for the animals or they even live in cages.

Biological Farming of Animals as an Alternative Farms are controlled strictly. Not allowed is: gen food and cutting of pieces of the body without anesthesia (at least until 2012). Space for animals is guaranteed (enough to turn around and walk). Animals need to be able to behave like in nature. Soft floor and opportunity to leave the stable and go outside are given.

Some organizations for promotion of alternative farming Bioland (www.bioland.de) Naturland (www.naturland.de) Demeter (www.demeter.de)

Transportation and Slaughtering in Factory Farming The transport is regulated per law not to last longer than eight hours without a break. With a special permission, animals are allowed to be transported until 29 hours without a break and without water or food. The slaughtering sometimes does not work safely or fast enough and some animals are still alive when they are taken to pieces.

Conclusion Animals living in factory farming have a painful and inappropriate life. This life is ethically reprehensible, treats animals as material suppliers and the purchasing of products from this factories is not responsible. Biological farming acquires an alternative to buy meat, eggs or milk. The animals are treated much better and are able to live nearly the same like the would do in nature. It is a little more expensive, but you can reduce your consumption of animal products or/and buy them at shops like “Naturata” (shop for products of alternative farming in our townWilhelmshaven) .

Literature (books and articles I used during my research) I. Books: Bayrhuber, Horst; Kull, Ulrich u.a. (Hrsg.): Linder Biologie. Lehrbuch für die Oberstufe. 21., neu bearbeitete Auflage 1998. Schroedel Verlag GmbH, Hannover 1948 Duve, Karen: Anständig essen. Ein Selbstversuch, Verlag Galiani Berlin, Köln 2011 Foer, Jonathan Safran: Tiere essen. Verlag Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Köln 2010 Klohn, Werner u. Windhorst, Hans-Wilhelm: Die Landwirtschaft in der Europäischen Union. 2., aktualisierte Auflage. In: ISPA (Hrsg.): Vechtaer Materialien zum Geographieunterricht (VMG), Heft 12, Vechta 2009 Klohn, Werner u. Windhorst, Hans-Wilhelm: Die Landwirtschaft in Deutschland. In: ISPA (Hrsg.): Vechtaer Materialien zum Geographieunterricht (VMG), Heft 3, Vechta 1996 Pollmer, Udo u. Warmuth, Susanne: Lexikon der populären Ernährungsirrtümer. Mißverständnisse, Fehlinterpretationen und Halbwahrheiten von Alkohol bis Zucker. 6. Auflage, Piper Verlag, München 2006; Originalauflage: Eichborn AG, Frankfurt am Main 2000 Precht, Richard David: Wer bin ich - und wenn ja, wie viele? Eine philosophische Reise. Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag, München 2007

II. Magazines Büchse, Nicolas u. Kruse, Kuno: „Fleischlos glücklich! Warum es heute hip ist, vegetarisch zu essen“. In: Stern, Nr. 4, 20.1.2011 Draf, Stephan u. Streck, Michael: „Esst weniger Fleisch! Was der Massenkonsum in Deutschland anrichtet“. In: Stern, Nr. 22, 27.5.2010 Author not named: „Brennpunkt – Das Schwein“. In: Focus, Nr. 15, 11.4.2011 III. Internet information http://www.absolut-bio.de/der-siegel-dschungel-lebensmittel-tierhaltung/ (Zugriffsdatum: 13.5.2011) http://bundesrecht.juris.de/tierschnutztv/BJNR275800001.html (Zugriffsdatum: 26.4.2011) http://www.fleischexperten.de/fleischerzeugung/entwicklung-der-nutztierhaltung/ http://www.tierrechte-kaplan.org/kompendium/index.html (Zugriffsdatum: 16.4.2011) http://www.welt.de/kultur/article8981900/Ein-US-Autor-verdirbt-uns-den-Appetit-auf-Fleisch.html

The End Thanks for your attention! International APE-Logo © the APE-team of Gymnasium am Mühlenweg, Wilhelmshaven APE-Logo of Wilhelmshaven This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the European Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.