China just constructed a 26-story pig-farming skyscraper, becoming the world's biggest single-building pig farm, having the capacity to slaughter 1.2 million pigs per year. This is what we'll be looking at in today's video. We'll also be looking at what experts say regarding this skyscraper. But before we begin, make sure you subscribe to this channel and give this video a like.

So, China has constructed a 26-story pig-farming skyscraper. The building is situated on the southern outskirts of Ezhou, and it already aims to tackle the growing demand for pork in the country. As we speak, more than half of the world's pork is consumed in China. The Guardian has also reported that the pig-farming skyscraper will house over 600,000 animals. This comes at the cost of around 4 billion yuan, which is equivalent to $557 million. The Guardian revealed the 2.6 million square foot farm has advanced technology, and animals are automatically fed through buttons in a central control room. The pigs' waste will also be used to generate heating and power. The Guardian also reported that the company behind the development, Hubei Zhongxin Kaiwei Modern Farming, has already sent 3,700 sows to the farm.

"Although this kind of facility would be saving a lot of space when it comes to the land factor, the high-density setting depicts that bacterial diseases could even spread much more rapidly," Dr Danielle Anderson, who studies viral pathogenesis in animals, told Daily Mail Australia.
He also said, "From a scientific point-of-view, in theory, it sounds fantastic because instead of taking up a lot of space, the pigs can be housed on multi-levels, and that's great." So, according to him, if a disease spreads within the building, there's a higher chance that it will be easier to treat because it's contained.

However, the huge pig skyscraper is already raising concerns among experts that the distinctive facility could lead to severe disease outbreaks. Matthew Hayek, an assistant professor in environmental studies at New York University, told The Guardian, "Intensive facilities can reduce interactions between domesticated and wild animals and their diseases, but if a disease does get inside, they can break out between animals like wildfire." The chair professor at One Health at City University of Hong Kong, Dirk Pfeiffer, also said: "The higher density of animals, the higher risk of infectious pathogen spread and amplification, as well as potential for mutation."

As things are going, the modern pig farm has reportedly been introduced during a rise in China's demand for pork. With this, some experts are of the opinion that building huge farms like these is a perfect way to replenish its herd that has been destroyed in recent years by African swine fever. However, the huge complex, set to be fully automated, has brought about different opinions among animal lovers in China, with the pigs set to be kept in factory-like conditions.

However, China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs said there would be a construction of high-rise breeding facilities, according to a policy released in 2019. Also, the high-rise production model would be more efficient, environmentally friendly, and bio-secure.

The company already revealed that its original plan was to invest in ready-to-cook food production, but it changed its mind due to a slump in the cement and construction factories in China. The general manager of the company, Jin Lin, said that the company saw modern agriculture as a sector that appears to be promising. He also saw it as a perfect opportunity to use its own construction facilities to build the pig farm.
This gigantic pig farm features gas, temperature, and ventilation-controlled conditions. As we stated earlier that these pigs could also be fed through over 30,000 automatic feeding spots just at the touch of a button, this is indeed a pretty cool invention. Workers will also be required to undergo a series of disinfection and testing before being given clearance to enter, and won't be able to leave the site until their next break, which will be once a week.
A farmer who lives in the village across the road from the farm told the Guardian that it is unfathomable. He was also worried about the proximity of the farm, which could lead to an odor issue when the farm begins its full operation.

When you compare the breeding method that will be used in this huge pig farm with the traditional breeding methods, high-rise pig farms are more intelligent since they have a high level of biosafety and automation.


According to him, the pig farming industry will be heading towards a highly intelligent and autonomous future, and pig farmers' standards and threshold will also become higher as a result.


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