Eating Animals

This chapter is a collection of definitions that Foer presents to both clarify terms and expand his discussion. Some of the definitions, such as “bycatch,” carry simple explanations: bycatch is the myriad of fish and sea animals that are caught when attempting to catch a specific fish or animal for consumption. Other definitions, such as “animal” and “cruelty,” involve discussions of such terms on a more philosophical level. However, many of the definitions contain details that are specifically relevant to the discussion of factory farming and ethical consumption. In defining “broiler chickens” and “downers,” Foer notes the cruelty inflicted on animals through genetic modification and breeding, such as the development of larger breast muscles in broiler chickens, which hinder their ability to move and live normal lives. Downers, or animals that collapse in captivity, are usually the result of genetics that weaken the immune systems of animals, leading to sicknesses that go untreated.

Importantly, Foer introduces a discussion on legislation with the terms CAFO, or Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation, and CFE, or Common Farming Exemptions, each of which refer to the terminology and legal practices of the factory farming industry. CAFO is presented as a