Precision fermentation can produce animal proteins including dairy and egg proteins without animals - understanding its welfare implications helps advocates assess its potential contribution to animal welfare.
Precision fermentation's animal welfare implications are potentially profound. Products that replace conventional dairy and egg proteins eliminate the welfare harms associated with dairy cow and laying hen production for those specific product categories. If precision fermentation achieves cost parity and consumer acceptance at scale, the reduction in animal product demand could be enormous. The welfare case for supporting precision fermentation development and market access is strong from a utilitarian welfare perspective. Unlike direct welfare interventions that improve conditions for farmed animals, precision fermentation replaces the production system entirely for specific products. Both approaches are complementary welfare strategies.