Business Commons^™

2010 Ijbe Front Matter, Tamra Connor

International Journal for Business Education

1. Editorial Board
2. President's Letter
3. SIEC-ISBE International

Instructions For Authors, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Welfare Of Piglets In The Pig Industry

Agribusiness Reports

Pig production has changed dramatically over the last several decades, and most piglets are now raised on industrialized commercial operations that confine thousands of animals on one site. In these facilities, piglets are born and reared under conditions that dramatically contrast with the natural environment they are biologically adapted to fit. In nature, a mother sow builds a nest of twigs and leaves for the birth of her litter, and, after several days, the piglets gradually begin to leave the nest, explore their environment by rooting and nibbling, and slowly integrate into a larger family group. Piglets on commercial production …

The Welfare Of Animals In The Pig Industry

Agribusiness Reports

The discordance between the behavioral needs of pigs and the life afforded to those raised commercially for the meat industry has created many animal welfare problems. Methods of pig production have changed substantially over the last several decades, and industrialized confinement operations have largely overtaken small, diversified farms. Overcrowded in indoor, barren environments, pigs in commercial production facilities are offered little opportunity to display their full range of complex social, foraging, and exploratory behavior. Behavioral abnormalities, such as tail-biting and aggression, arise due to environmental and social deficiencies. Poor air quality and intensive confinement may lead to health problems, and …

Welfare Issues With Furnished Cages For Egg-Laying Hens

Agribusiness Reports

Furnished cages were developed in response to criticisms about conventional battery-cage confinement of laying hens in commercial egg production. Battery cages—small, barren, wire enclosures—restrictively confine the birds, depriving them of the opportunity to display many important patterns of behavior. In contrast, furnished cages are typically equipped with a nest box, perch, and dustbathing area, thereby providing more behavioral outlets than conventional cages. However, similar to conventional battery cages, furnished cages provide an unacceptably limited amount of space per bird; prevent many important locomotory activities, including running, jumping, flying, and wing-flapping; and constrain perching, dustbathing, and nesting. The severe locomotory restriction …

Understanding Mortality Rates Of Laying Hens In Cage-Free Egg Production Systems

Agribusiness Reports

In cage-free egg production systems, concerns have been raised over hen mortality rates. High mortality is an obvious indicator of poor welfare, and problems should be addressed without delay. It is important to note, however, that mortality can vary substantially between hen flocks, and that some cage-free systems have healthy flocks that do not suffer substantial death losses. These systems can serve as models for the rest of the industry, since mortality is not inherent to any particular system, but a consequence of how well the system is managed.

Adopting A Cage-Free Production Policy For Animal Products In Brazil

Agribusiness Reports

Farm animal welfare is becoming an important concern for governments, producers, and consumers worldwide. In particular, intensive confinement systems, such as battery cages and gestation crates, have been acknowledged as severely impairing to the physical comfort and expression of natural behaviors of animals. The European Union and select states in the United States have already passed bills eliminating these housing systems over the next several years. Numerous international retail and food production companies, including Burger King (North America), Smithfield Foods, and McDonald’s (Europe) are committed to gradually eliminating the use and sale of eggs and pork produced via intensive confinement …

The Impact Of Animal Agriculture On The Environment And Climate Change In Brazil

Agribusiness Reports

The intensification of farm animal production in industrialized agricultural systems, or factory farms, compromises animal welfare and degrades the environment. Animal agriculture inefficiently consumes natural resources, contributes to deforestation, and produces immense quantities of animal waste, threatening water and air quality and contributing to climate change. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations estimated in 2006 that animal agriculture was responsible for 18% of global, anthropogenic, or humaninduced, greenhouse gas emissions and was ―by far the single largest anthropogenic user of land."

Contents, Discovery Editors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Dean, Michael Vayda

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.

Discovery: The Student Journal Of Dale Bumpers College Of Agricultural, Food And Life Sciences - Volume 11 2010, Several Authors

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

No abstract provided.