Farm animals receive significantly less veterinary care than companion animals — closing this gap is a welfare priority.
Farm animals are given far less individual veterinary attention than companion animals, largely because of economic considerations. An individual laying hen is worth a few dollars — expensive treatment is economically irrational in a conventional farming context. This creates a systemic welfare gap where animals with treatable conditions are culled rather than treated. Welfare improvements require both changes to economic incentives and recognition that animal suffering has value beyond the animal's economic worth.