# Killed Young

It is often argued that exploitation and slaughter is fine because the animals lived long, happy lives before being killed. However, this is almost never the case. Most animals in animal agriculture are killed when they're basically babies.\
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Even if the animals did live long and happy lives, this would make killing them even worse because they would value their lives even more when they're needlessly taken away from them.\
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Below is a chart which converts the age at which the animals are usually killed, into a fraction of their lifespan, and then into what that fraction would be for a human lifespan, assuming the average human lifespan of 80 years.\
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<table><thead><tr><th width="232">Animal</th><th>Age Killed</th><th width="150">In Human Time</th><th width="113">Lifespan</th><th>Record Age</th><th data-hidden>Slaughter Age</th><th data-hidden>In human time</th><th data-hidden>Lifespan</th><th data-hidden>Record Age</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Cattle for beef</td><td>1 year</td><td>4 years</td><td>20 years</td><td></td><td>1 year</td><td>4 years</td><td>20 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cattle for veal</td><td>16 weeks</td><td>1.2 years</td><td>20 years</td><td></td><td>16 weeks</td><td>1.2 years</td><td>20 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cattle, males in dairy</td><td>1 day</td><td>4 days</td><td>20 years</td><td></td><td>1 day</td><td>4 days</td><td>20 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Cattle, females in dairy</td><td>4 years</td><td>16 years</td><td>20 years</td><td></td><td>4 years</td><td>16 years</td><td>20 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Pigs</td><td>6 months</td><td>2.6 years</td><td>15 years</td><td></td><td>6 months</td><td>2.6 years</td><td>15 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chickens, broilers</td><td>6 weeks</td><td>1.1 years</td><td>8 years</td><td>22 years</td><td>6 weeks</td><td>1.1 years</td><td>8 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chickens, males in the egg-industry</td><td>1 day</td><td>10 days</td><td>8 years</td><td>22 years</td><td>1 day</td><td>10 days</td><td>8 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Chickens, female egg-layers</td><td>1 year</td><td>10 years</td><td>8 years</td><td>22 years</td><td>1 years</td><td>10 years</td><td>8 years</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Turkeys</td><td>17 weeks</td><td>2.6 years</td><td>10 years</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Ducks</td><td>7 weeks</td><td>8 months</td><td>15 years</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sheep, lambs</td><td>3 months</td><td>1.6 years</td><td>12 years</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Sheep, for wool</td><td>5.5 years</td><td>37 years</td><td>12 years</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

<figure><img src="https://1639489886-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FIZzDaoQXCLpuTZTIfctf%2Fuploads%2FbeR9XC6U98DLKfXVGivh%2FAre%20You%20a%20Baby%20Eater.jpg?alt=media&#x26;token=3f729987-1959-496a-8245-b1e90f376d4b" alt="Infographic showing similar stats to those listed above" width="353"><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

Sources on world record ages:\
Chickens\
[https://spca.bc.ca/programs-services/farm-animal-programs/farm-animal-production/broiler-chickens/](https://spca.bc.ca/programs-services/farm-animal-programs/farm-animal-production/broiler-chickens/)\
[https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-old-are-chickens-used-for-meat\
](https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-old-are-chickens-used-for-meat)
