Pros and cons of free-range farming

Many farmers proudly promote their products as being free range. Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this alternative to conventional battery cages and pens.

Pros
Free-range farming has many positive points. For instance, the animals:

• Have the freedom to interact with each other
• Have more space to exercise and strengthen their muscles
• Have easy access to food and water
• Have more natural behaviors

Cons
However, this type of breeding has various disadvantages, including:

• It takes longer to implement and maintain than other systems.
• Animals like hens must be trained to lay eggs in the right place.
• The layout of the roaming area can make it difficult for employees to perform certain tasks.
• Animals that are more active eat more, which can increase production costs.
• Open environments can be hazardous for animals like chickens because they relieve themselves everywhere and kick up dust. This can cause severe ailments.
• Free-range chickens can injure themselves by fighting with each other.
• The yield for products like eggs and milk can decrease.

If you care about animal welfare, support the farms in your area that share your values.