You want to learn more about the tools of Factory Farming know? Then you've come to the right place. The operators of these facilities rely on certain tools and aids to ensure that the animals in "modern livestock farming" are on track and that the yield is as high as possible.
These help them to adapt animals such as cows, pigs and chickens to the breeding system. Unfortunately, they are anything but helpful for the animals themselves.
In this article, I would now like to briefly introduce you to the equipment and instruments that are part of the standard equipment of agricultural animal husbandry. Let's go!
Notice: This article merely depicts the officially permitted tools of factory farming and is intended to provide information about the background to the industry. Image rights are held by the photographer Timo Stammberger.
1. Dehorner
Whether it's a dehorn, dehorning tool, soldering iron or electric dehorn - the exact name is irrelevant. With this tool, which heats up to several hundred degrees animal breeders destroy the horn or horn base of cattle and calvesso that the animals can be kept in the tightest of spaces without injuring themselves. Because the tighter the space, the more profitable.
The fuel rod ultimately obliterates the nerve and blood vessels of the horn. This procedure is according to the Animal Welfare Act under administration of painkillers and even without anesthesia for calves under six weeks of age.
2. Weaning Ring
Perhaps you have already Cows or calves with a nose ring with spikes seen? This is called a suction weaner.
The calves are actually separated from their mothers after just 1-2 days so that they can Breast milk to be sold profitably to us consumers, of coursedo not drink it away.
However, the jagged ring also prevents the young animals from drinking the milk of other cattle later on, as the milk is suckled through the metal prongs directed outward be stung and reflexively dodge.
3. Electric Prod
This tool of factory farming is basically self-explanatory. With Electric shocks of about 6,000 volts animals such as cows or pigs are driven forward if they do not want to go any further.
The stun gun may actually only be used on certain parts of the body - however, this regulation often not taken seriously in practice. Ultimately, the animals are also driven towards certain death in the slaughterhouse.
4. Beak Trimming Tool
These tongs are used to shorten the very sensitive beak tips of chickens. In industrial animal husbandry with just a few square centimetres of space between countless conspecifics in dark halls, the animals often develop Behavioral disordersso that they hurt each other.
The beak trimming pliers are intended to prevent these injuries. Unfortunately, it is often forgotten that the Beak trimming itself is of course also an injury is.
5. Ear Tagging Pliers
Industrial agricultural entrepreneurs do not give their animals names, but numbers. In order to Identification To attach the tags to the (mainly young) cows, piglets or lambs, a hole is made in their ears with ear tag forceps without anesthetic.
This may result in Inflammations may occur. There is a further risk if the stamp is torn out later.
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6. Castration Pliers
In breeding, males are castrated when they are over less good genetic material have. In addition, castration with the so-called emasculator is used to put a stop to somewhat wilder and more quick-tempered animals.
The term castration sounds less cruel than it actually is. With the help of castration forceps for example, one cuts the spermatic cords of male pigs, goats and sheep. For young piglets, this is even permitted without anesthesia.
7. Gavage Tube
Another tool used in factory farming is the so-called stuffing tube, which is often also called a stuffing tube. It is pressed into the necks of geese and ducks in the fattening process in order to feed corn mash and other Force feed high calorie foods in large quantities to be able
The animals thus reach ten times their normal weight at record speed and can be sold more quickly as foie gras.
Scrutinized: Kind of weird that we do this to animals, isn't it? If you want to do something about it, vegan meals are the most effective way! For a successful changeover, I can warmly recommend the Book "Vegan nutrition for beginners" (is available here*) to your heart. It's a great combination of theoretical knowledge and practical recipes for plant-based dishes.
8. Tail Docker
With a copper tool The ring tail of piglets is cut off within the first four days of their life.as the sensitive animals often bite it off each other in close quarters.
The process usually takes place in agricultural animal husbandry. without prior anesthesia takes place.
9. Teeth Grinder
One of the typical tools of factory farming is the tooth grinder, which is used to grind the teeth of young piglets in particular. pointed teeth ground smooth be left in the crate. This happens because the animals could otherwise injure their immobile mother - who is restrained in a narrow crate - while suckling.
Such measures serve the purpose of economic optimization and generally have the welfare of the animal is not the intention.
10. Electroejaculator Set
To artificially impregnate cows, the bull semen must be "obtained" in advance. This is helped by an electroejaculator set, which usually consists of a Carrying container, a Rectal probe, a Control unit, a Battery charger, a Electric cable and a Cable for the probe and vessels to collect the semen.
In many cases, a voltage of less than 9 volts can already cause a Semen emission can be achieved.1
Tip: Cows need to be milked is a popular argument used to justify the consumption of dairy products. In the linked article you can find out why it is quite different in reality.
11. Nose Ring Pliers
One Bulls with a nose ring everyone has probably seen it before.
Of course, this is not natural, but is only possible with the help of nose ring pliers, which the Bull nasal septum usually without anesthesia and leaves a hole for the ring.
12. Injection Syringe
In order to ensure that the animals remain healthy for as long as possible and do not attack each other, they are injected with hypodermic syringes, e.g. Hormones, vaccines and antibiotics.
Ultimately, however, the meat of the animals that is consumed by humans is also contaminated. This can, for example, lead to Antibiotic resistance and serious health consequences for consumers.
Tip: Also for these reasons, a balanced, purely vegetable diet healthy. In the detailed article, you can find out what else speaks in favor of switching to "vegan".
13. Wire Brush
In addition to the stun gun, many animals in the industry are also driven with objects such as a classic wire brush. The "Soko Tierschutz" uncoveredthat some companies do not Wires for this even pierced the genitals of the animals.
A not surprising Form of illegal cruelty to animals in factory farming.
14. Bolt Gun
This tool of factory farming jabs a metallic bolt into the head of "slaughter animals", to stun them.
Unfortunately, stunning errors often occur, with the result that the animals still fully conscious at the time of slaughter are.
Notice: There are countless other devices that are used to adapt animals such as cows, pigs or chickens to the industry. The Castration scalpel, the Collet chuck or the Punch for example. Do you know any other instruments from factory farming that should not be missing from this list? Then please share them in the comments.
Understanding Factory Farming Tools and Rethinking Our Choices
Why should everyone know the tools and implements of factory farming? On the one hand, to have a Better understanding of the growing vegan movement and, on the other hand, to question whether the vegan lifestyle even not better themselves with the own, personal values fits together.
Each of us should know what Behind closed doors happens to the creatures whose body parts or bodily fluids end up on the dinner table of many people.
If you now no longer participate in it I could well understand that. It was the same for me. You can definitely get a good start on a plant-based diet with the Book "Vegan nutrition for beginners "*which provides you with the most important basic knowledge and quick recipes.
"The world is not an inferior product, and animals are not a fabrication for our use."
Arthur Schopenhauer (more at Animal welfare quotes)
I very much hope that this article has made you aware of the equipment and activities of a livestock farm. The really scary thing is that such tools basically used in all livestock farms in the bad, as in the good.
Do you have any questions, suggestions, or other experiences with the tools of factory farming that you'd like to share? And what do you think when you see the tools shown? Feel free to write me a comment.
Stay animal-friendly,
PS: Dogs and cats get treats and scratching posts, cows and pigs get antibiotics and electric shocks. This unequal treatment of pets and farm animals is called Speciesism. You can find out everything you need to know about this in the linked blog post.
References:
- Christine Lichtner (2010): Semen collection from standing bulls without mounting with special consideration of sexual behavior and semen quality, available at https://d-nb.info/1009624296/34. [14.03.2025]. ↩︎
