Farming techniques

how can efficiency of food production be increased by explaining intensive farming

by restricting energy transfer from food animals to the environment. This can be done by:

- limiting their movement – livestock are kept in small pens or cages so that they use less energy moving around

- controlling the temperature of their surroundings – livestock are kept at their optimum temperature so that they use less energy regulating their body temperatures themselves

how does intensive farming reduce energy transfer from food animals to their environment

- Movement and staying warm are two main processes that require the energy released in respiration

- If livestock don’t have to carry out these processes, there is more energy available for growth

advantages and disadvantages of animals being kept in pens

A : livestock use less energy for movment leaving more energy for growth

D: seen as unethical and unnatural to confine animals like that, diseases can be spread more easily

advantages and disadvantages of animals fed antibiotics in their food

A: prevents disease and bacterial infections in livestock

D: may be leading to antibiotic resistance in bacteria

advantages and disadvanatges of monoculture

A: farmers only grow one type of crop so ti maximises crop yield and so maximises profit

D: supports a low level of biodiveristy

advantages and disadvanatges of fertiliser use

A: increases plant growth and therefore maximises plant yield

D: runoff occurs polluting water leading to eutrophication and death of aquatic organisms

advantages and disadvnatges of hedgerow removal

A: has made fields bigger and easier to maintain + maximises crop yields and therefore profit

D: reduces biodiverosty as hedgerows provide a habitat for many organisms