**5. Pros and cons of intensive animal farming**

Cattle farming has been an important part of society for years, ever seeing that people started domesticating animals to improve the quality of their life. However, as with most forms of farming, inclusive of agriculture, cattle farming too has strengthened, specifically in current many years. This has made livestock products more easily available and cheaper to buy; that is especially important in case one assumes that staples along with milk, honey, eggs, and meat are all merchandise in cattle farming [37].

#### **Figure 1.**

*Typological classification of major farming systems [36].*

However, intensive livestock farming practices have on several occasions raised major concerns regarding food protection, animal welfare, and environmental effects—to the extent that cattle farming is often called "factory farming" [38].

#### **5.1 Pros of intensive animal farming**

The contribution of livestock farming to the country GPD (Gross domestic product) is about 883 billion dollars, but this amount does not include the services availed from retailers, butchers, and transport units and supplied to feed producers and equipment producers. Besides its role in economic development, the livestock sector increases the life expectancy of individuals by providing food security to about 1.3 billion people. Nowadays, it is the fastest-growing agricultural sector of the country's economy [39].


#### **Table 1.**

*Advantages and disadvantages of intensive animal farming [40].*

Intensive animal farming has been made possible by farming management practices that have helped to increase yield and production while bringing down the cost at a confined place. For example, farming units employing the practice of concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) have enabled farm owners to rear more animals in a restricted area, thereby maximizing the land potential [39].

#### **5.2 Cons of intensive animal farming**

Though animal farming has efficiently increased the production of animal products at a limited cost, yet the external products (cost-saving techniques) that have been used for ensuring the steady production of products have negatively impacted health and the environment [39].

In a confined environment, where flocks of animals are kept under one roof has increased the chances of animals becoming more susceptible to diseases. In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), livestock diseases have been transmitted to about 2.4 billion humans. To reduce the burden of zoonotic diseases, farmers frequently administered antibiotics to their animals leading to the evolution of drug-resistant pathogens [39]. Besides this, some farmers kept animals to live in stressful conditions. Unfortunately, practices persist where animals are transported long distances to the market in inhumane conditions or slaughtered in painful ways.

Keeping in view the above-described pros and cons of intensive animal farming, a few more advantages and disadvantages are listed in the **Table 1** given below:
