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This lesson compares free-range farming with intensive farming and examines animal welfare concerns, as required by the AQA GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition specification (8585), section 3.6. You need to understand the different farming systems, their implications for animal welfare, cost, food quality and the environment.
Intensive farming (also called factory farming or industrial farming) aims to produce the maximum amount of food at the lowest cost. Animals are kept in controlled, indoor environments with limited space.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Housing | Animals kept indoors in enclosed sheds or buildings; limited or no outdoor access |
| Space | High stocking density — many animals per square metre |
| Feed | Controlled diet, often including growth promoters; may include GM feed |
| Lighting | Artificial lighting may be used to extend "daylight" hours and increase egg production or growth |
| Temperature | Controlled environment to optimise growth |
| Antibiotics | Routine preventative antibiotics often used to prevent disease spread in crowded conditions |
| Natural behaviours | Severely restricted — animals cannot roam, forage, nest or dust-bathe normally |
| Cost | Lower production costs — cheaper food for consumers |
| Yield | High — maximises output per animal and per unit of space |
| Animal | Intensive System |
|---|---|
| Chickens (broilers) | Housed in large sheds; up to 20,000 birds per shed; reach slaughter weight in as little as 5–6 weeks (compared to 12+ weeks for traditional breeds) |
| Chickens (layers) | Enriched colony cages (battery cages were banned in the EU in 2012); restricted movement but more space than old battery cages |
| Pigs | Indoor units with slatted floors; sows in farrowing crates; limited movement |
| Cattle (dairy) | Some dairy cows kept indoors year-round ("zero-grazing"); milked by machine 2–3 times daily |
Free-range farming provides animals with access to outdoor areas during the day and more space to move and exhibit natural behaviours.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Housing | Indoor shelter for protection at night; outdoor access during the day |
| Space | Significantly more space per animal; lower stocking density |
| Outdoor access | Animals can go outdoors, roam, forage and explore |
| Natural behaviours | Animals can scratch, peck, dust-bathe (poultry), root and explore (pigs) |
| Feed | Standard feed plus natural foraging |
| Antibiotics | Less routine use (lower disease pressure due to more space) |
| Cost | Higher production costs — more expensive for consumers |
| Yield | Lower per unit of space |
| Growth rate | Slower growth — animals take longer to reach market weight |
| Animal | Legal Minimum Requirements |
|---|---|
| Free-range chickens (meat) | Must have continuous daytime access to outdoor runs with vegetation; maximum 13 birds per square metre indoors |
| Free-range laying hens | Must have continuous daytime access to outdoor runs; maximum 9 hens per square metre indoors; maximum 2,500 hens per hectare outdoors |
| Free-range pigs | Not legally defined in the same way, but outdoor-reared/outdoor-bred labels indicate varying levels of outdoor access |
| Factor | Intensive | Free-Range | Organic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Space | Minimal | Moderate | Most |
| Outdoor access | None or very limited | Yes — daytime | Yes — with specific standards |
| Natural behaviours | Severely restricted | Possible | Encouraged |
| Growth rate | Fast (growth promoters) | Moderate | Slowest |
| Antibiotics | Routine preventative use | Less routine | Only when ill |
| Animal welfare | Lowest | Good | Highest |
| Cost to consumer | Cheapest | More expensive | Most expensive |
| Environmental impact | Pollution (waste, ammonia); lower land use per unit | Better welfare; moderate land use | Best environmental practices; higher land use |
| Taste | Standard | Often considered better | Often considered best |
graph LR
A["INTENSIVE<br/>Lowest welfare<br/>Lowest cost"] --> B["FREE-RANGE<br/>Good welfare<br/>Higher cost"]
B --> C["ORGANIC<br/>Highest welfare<br/>Highest cost"]
style A fill:#e74c3c,color:#fff
style B fill:#f39c12,color:#fff
style C fill:#27ae60,color:#fff
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