From July to December 2002 the Utah based United Animal Rights Coalition (UARC) conducted an extensive undercover investigation at Circle Four Farms near Milford, Utah. Circle Four Farms is a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods, the 15th largest piggery in the United States. At Circle Four Farms piggery approximately one million pigs a year are born and raised to slaughter age (about six months) when they are then trucked to slaughter. At any one time there are up to 500,000 piglets on this factory farm along with 57,000 breeding sows. All these animals are confined in 58 massive enclosed sheds on the property. There are plans to further increase the size of this animal concentration camp so that its annual output will total 1.5 million pigs. UARC were alerted to problems at the piggery after learning of a fire there that killed 20,000 pigs. After Circle Four Farms declined UARC's request for an inspection tour, five members of the organization conducted undercover visits of the operation three times in September and December. The UARC investigators documented overcrowded stalls full of pigs in deplorable conditions, many dying or dead. Numerous pigs had severe respiratory and lung problems due to the stench, gases and dust in the air, most were so psychologically traumatised that they exhibited signs of psychosis such as tail and bar biting, head waving, and sucking on the nipples of dead pigs. The investigation culminated in the rescue of two sick piglets, Millie and Bobby, in late December. The UARC rescue team report that: "Millie and Bobby are doing well today. They are both growing so quickly and they play most of the day. Pigs love to see new things and to be given ample space to investigate. Millie and Bobby will spend the rest of their lives surrounded by the beautiful blue sky and green earth. They will never again be treated as production units - or as a meal. Pigs do not suddenly die one day and then we eat them. Pigs are abused by being put in sheds so terrible that many die or live depressing lives. Millie and Bobby were very lucky to be saved. If you want to help make this earth a better place, please stop eating animals." A total of 19 billion pounds of pig flesh was processed from 97 million pigs in the United States in 2001. More information about the rescue can be found at the UARC pigrescue.org website. For further information about pig farming visit factoryfarming.com Click on any photo for larger version
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