have always been limited by the capacity of the sow
mammary system.”^84 By the combination of mechanical
nursingandothernoveltechniqueslikesuperovulation,which
increases the number of fertile eggs the sow produces,
researchers foresee highly automated systems of pig
productionproducingasmanyasforty-fivepigspersowper
year, instead of the sixteen that have been the average.
Twoaspectsofthesedevelopmentsarealarming.Firstthereis
theeffect onthebaby pigs, deprivedof theirmothersand
confinedinwirecages.Inmammals,theearlyseparationof
motherand child causesdistress to both. Asfor thecages
themselves, an ordinary citizen who kept dogs in similar
conditions fortheir entire liveswould risk prosecution for
cruelty.Apigproducerwhokeepsananimalofcomparable
intelligence in this manner, however,
ismorelikely tobe rewardedwitha taxconcessionor,in
some countries, a direct government subsidy.
Thesecondalarmingaspectofthenewtechniquesisthatthe
sowisbeingturnedintoalivingreproductionmachine.“The
breedingsowshouldbethoughtof,andtreatedas,avaluable
pieceofmachinerywhosefunctionistopumpoutbabypigs
like a sausage machine.”^85 So said a leading corporate
managerwithWall’sMeatCompany;andtheUnitedStates
DepartmentofAgricultureactuallyencouragesproducersto
thinkofthepiginthisway:“Ifthesowisconsideredapig
manufacturingunit,thenimprovedmanagementatfarrowing
andonthroughweaningwillresultinmorepigsweanedper
sowperyear.”^86 Underthebestconditionsthereislittlejoyin
anexistencethatconsistsofpregnancy,birth,havingone’s
babiestakenaway,andbecomingpregnantagainsothatthe
cyclecanberepeated—andsowsdonotliveunderthebest