SCALE
Factory farming by the numbers
The scale is global, concentrated, and growing.
70B
Land animals slaughtered annually (FAO)
1–2T
Fish killed each year (est.)
9B
Chickens slaughtered in the U.S. annually
99%
U.S. farm animals raised in factory farms
TIMELINE
Lives compressed into weeks
Industrial systems shorten natural lifespans dramatically.
42 days
Chicken lifespan in factory farms (vs 5–7 years natural)
6 months
Pig lifespan in factory farms (vs 10–15 years natural)
4–5 years
Dairy cow lifespan (vs ~20 years natural)
DENSITY
Space per animal
Confinement is the default design feature of factory farms.
67 in²
Battery cage space per hen (less than a sheet of paper)
0.75 ft²
Average broiler chicken space per bird
2×7 ft
Typical gestation crate for a full-grown pig
WELFARE RESEARCH
What the science says about sentience
Modern neuroscience and behavioral research confirm capacity for conscious experience and pain.
2012
Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness: mammals, birds, and many other creatures have the neurological substrates for conscious states
Comparable
Pain sensitivity in chickens is comparable to mammals
Nociception
Fish show nociception and stress responses
TRENDS
Where things are headed
Demand is rising, but alternatives are growing too.
+70%
Projected global meat consumption increase by 2050
8% YoY
Plant-based meat market annual growth
3×
More people identify as vegan than a decade ago
Turn awareness into action
Small, evidence-based choices can spare thousands of animals.