B4.14 Intensive Farming

Question 1

Name three advantages of intensive farming and explain them.

Answer 1

High yield, large amount produced- max production is achievd per unit of land. Use of pesticides means less food is lost

Low cost of production- max output from the land- using fertilisers to increase plant growth

Less labour intensive- use of artifical chemicals + machines- fewer people need to work

Question 2

Name three disadvantages of intensive farming and explain them.

Answer 2

Pesticides- if not used carefully can damage environment

Fertilisers- if too much soluble fertliser used can wash into streams and cause pollution

Battery rearing of animals in small enclosures- less humane, cause disease to spread quickly.

Question 3

What are pesticides? Name a few examples

Answer 3

Insecticides- kill insects that eat crop/ spread disease among animals

Fungicides- kill fungi that lead to decay of plangpts some cause illness in animals

Herbicides- kill weeds- compete with the crop for resources (light, water and soil minerals)

Question 4

How does the use of pesticides reduce fhe damage to crop/herd?

Answer 4

• pests stopped from competing with crop/herd for resources
• no weeds competing with crop for sunlight energy- crop has max rate of photosynthesis.

At Every link in the food chain less energy is lost. Increases yield, increases profit

Question 5

Define battery farming

Answer 5

Farming technique in which large numbers of animals are reared indoors

Advantage: animal cannot mobe around much, energy loss is reduced, energy used for growth instead

Disadvantage: inhumane