First off, deep analysis of the characteristics of these factory farms brings us inevitable moral standards to discuss. According to the Food and Water Watch organization, the term ‘factory’ characterizes these farms as mechanical, and is organized to treat the animals as ‘products.’ Therefore, the operators seem to overlook the aberrant imprisonment of the animals in an extremely congested atmosphere. Moreover, these animals undergo a tortuous process called ‘docking,’ which removes any parts of the body that are a serious threat to injuries of other animals. In addition, animals are suffocated with various inhumane hormones that promote their growth in the greatest time efficiency. These animals are required heavy amounts of antibiotics to circumvent the risk of contagious diseases. Yet with all of these precautions, humans face a greater deal of danger as moral standards are not the only factor that is mutilated.

An epidemic that currently endangers the world is a disease called “Avian Influenza.” As animal flus have been problematic in the past, the avian influenza is no defiance to that statement. According to Matt Stiles, a reporter of Los Angeles Times, when the disease was acknowledged to be a threat to society, reporters immediately pointed fingers at the conditions of factory farms to be the cause of the flu. Many hypothesized that the unhygienic environment where these poultry are domesticated is the core complication responsible for sparking this growing epidemic. As hypothesized, according to The Real Truth magazine, most factory farms contain diseases on occasions where animals inhabit grounds covered with their own manure. According to The Poultry Site, in order to prevent further proliferation, the government decided to eliminate 33.8 million poultry that had the possibility of carrying the flu. Due to these circumstances, resources of hens laying eggs diminished stupendously, which resulted in the prices of eggs growing substantially. Since the inception of the avian influenza late last year, countries affected by this matter have had troubles with shortage of poultry-based nourishment, illness, and economic slump.

To illustrate an effect of this epidemic, a Costco located in Yangjae, Korea sells cartons of eggs labeled as ‘Korean and non-antibiotic’ for a lower price than other eggs on the market. The eggs are sold at approximately half the price in hopes of ameliorating the crisis. Many astonished customers were observed to place three or more cartons of eggs in their carts. Subsequently, the customers were informed by the workers during registration that only one carton of eggs was allowed to be purchased by each customer. Many customers were disappointed as they placed the egg cartons back on the shelves. This observation clearly demonstrates the crisis on shortage of eggs in Korea and how it is impacting the lives of Koreans.

As factory farming was invented to guide our society enter a more efficient status of living, the animals raised in these farms are tortured for our benefit. Moreover, as more farms cage down countless numbers of animals in filthy capacities, flus that dominate our population accumulate. The Avian Influenza is not the last of many flus that will haunt human lives until the dissipation of factory farms. Until then, KFC will continue to attempt to reassure customers on their chicken while markets continue to elevate its prices of eggs.