A.

Animal rights activists espoused the philosophy that:

- Non-human animals have moral worth apart from their utility to humans, and their most
basic interests, such as avoiding suffering, should be given the same consideration as
similar human interests. Animals deserve the freedom to live their lives as they see fit,
free from the desires of humans. Animal rights refer to the belief that many animals have
fundamental rights to be treated as individuals, including the right to life, liberty, and
freedom from torture, which cannot be overridden by considerations of aggregate
welfare.

B. Animal welfare activists object to docking, dehorning as it causes excruciating pain and
unnecessary suffering to animals. What is their stand on this?
- Animal welfare activists are opposed to humans mutilating animals in factory farms in a
variety of ways, including castrations, dehorning, and chopping off various body parts.
These procedures are typically performed without the use of an anesthetic. They are
against these actions, even if some are carried out with good intentions and for the
"betterment" of the majority, because they cause excruciating pain and unnecessary
suffering to animals. As stated in the previous item, animals, like humans, should be
treated as individuals. They are entitled to live their lives in liberty and freedom, free of
all forms of intentional suffering and torture. Their bodies are built naturally and in the
way they are for a reason. All of their body parts are present because they serve an
important purpose in their daily lives; thus, humans have no right to take any of it away
or remove it solely for their own desires and interests.

C. Relate how livestock production induces changes of habitat for some animals and its
possible effect on biodiversity.
- Some animals' habitats are altered as a result of livestock production, such as the
establishment of livestock farms on previously native or natural lands. Some animals
inhabit these natural lands; however, because livestock farms have been established,
the habitats of these inhabiting animals have been destroyed, forcing them to relocate
and seek another habitat. This reflects the dwindling of native ecosystems and the
natural biodiversity of the land. Furthermore, animal farming depletes soil nutrients and
pollutes the environment because farm waste runoff causes algae blooms in water,
which consume oxygen, killing essential bacteria and destroying healthy ecosystems.
Aside from crowding out native ecosystems, modern farmers grow only a few crops for
animal feed, further reducing plant biodiversity.

D. Briefly discuss where and how methane and ammonia form in livestock facilities.
- Animal waste and manure produce methane and ammonia. Livestock manure continues
to emit methane as a result of the anaerobic decomposition of organic material
contained in the manure by bacteria that exits with the animal's manure. Manure spread
on fields and pastures emits significant amounts of methane. At the same time, ammonia
is produced in livestock production and operations when animal urine mixes with feces
and soil. Ammonia is produced as a result of nitrogen in pig and cattle feces and urine,
 as well as uric acid in poultry manure. During the storage and decomposition of manure,
ammonia is formed as a result of the biological and chemical breakdown of manure
protein, uric acid, and urea.

Meme Time!