refers to the quantities of food, fibre and other products that are generated on farms or by other enterprises
that produce those products. Productivity is usually measured as kilograms of
meat per animal, litres of milk per cow, number of eggs per hen, and so on. Increases
in animal productivity have been made by improving our scientific understanding
of the body processes that lead to body growth, milk production, egg laying and
the like. At the same time animal welfare standards have generally improved, although
some other problems have been created. For instance, we have learned that special
care must be given to high producing and closely stocked animals because they
have a smaller safety margin for their welfare than do other animals. Their welfare
can be more easily harmed. This makes them more vulnerable to animal welfare problems.
