Why I raise livestock

So I’m finally sitting down on a rainy day here at the farm. To be quite honest, I am thankful for days like these when it’s too rainy to work in the garden, fix the fences, or do minor animal husbandry. These are the days when I can catch up on my correspondence and housework. Here is a long rambling on my experience with farming, especially raising animals. There are so many topics I could talk about, but here’s one to start. If you have any other questions or want me to discuss something else entirely let me know.

Firstly, in regard to heritage livestock: these are animals whose genetic breeding can be traced back to before we began raising animals in CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations). They were around even before the industrial revolution. These are the animals that our ancestors raised out on the farm or in large pasture settings. They raised them from birth to slaughter in this fashion. The really cool thing about these heritage breeds is that they retain strong instincts to be good mothers, hide from predators, forage for feed, withstand hot or cold weather, and resist pests and pathogens. Not only do they carry these instinctual behaviors packed in their DNA, they also have better tasting muscle fibers (meat). They started dwindling as CAFOs took over how we managed livestock because they couldn’t produce an cheap product in the shortest amount of time possible, they are not as cost efficient to raise in a CAFO setting, and they cannot withstand the pressures of living in such a confined space. For example, the last flock of 100 chickens I raised was of made from a cross-breed of heritage stock. The flock took 12 weeks to reach an average dressed weight of 4.5 lbs., while a CAFO bird will reach an average of 4 lbs in 7 weeks. Despite the increased length of time to harvest, we had a very low mortality rate of 5%, and a CAFO chicken operation can claim 11% on a good flock. You can find in depth information different breeds on the critically endangered list on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy wesbite: http://www.albc-usa.org/

The crazy part is that CAFOs are in place because they are an efficient way to provide cheap protein to the masses, but at a terrible cost. There are numerous negative environmental aspects of raising livestock in such a fashion and all the while it is doing terrible damage to our local economies. I don’t just mean the United States in general, but our counties and towns. The way we are doing the things now is putting all our money into a few large companies who produce an insane percentage of our country’s meat when we could be giving cash to our local farmers. These guys and gals sign contracts with these big companies. For beef farmers that means sending their calves off to CAFO feedlots like Harris Ranch for “finishing”. For chicken farmers that means getting paid by Tyson to raise fast-growing meat birds indoors for 7 weeks before they are picked up for slaughter and the same goes for pork. Just think about the petroleum and diesel used to ship those animals across the country to different processing facilities and then ship it back to your local grocery store.

After knowing the enjoyment of raising my own chickens, harvesting them with my own hands, then eating it at the table I know that I cannot eat another “un-chicken” or even Tofu again. The flavor is richer and different from a Tyson chicken. I know personally that the animal was well cared for, even loved while it was alive. The chicken was honorably thanked for providing meat for my table and killed quickly. I know that I spent the least amount of gas possible caring for them too. Doesn’t it seem more economically and environmentally responsible to go to a local farmer and buy straight from them? To be clear, I only buy meat from farmers who raise their animals in a fashion that I find suitable.

I realize as a compassionate, caring person with a no-doubt beautiful heart and mind you feel the need to make the effort to stop taking lives through your eating choices. The fact is that this is that carnivory happens in nature. Meat is a vitamin-rich and calorie-dense source of sustenance. Because we are evolved creatures we have the ability to choose what we eat, but instead lets choose “how” we eat. Pasture-raised meat is a wonderful thing in moderation.

Because I care about the humane treatment of livestock, I eat them. I purchase, raise, prepare, and devour (with gusto) them. I support my local small farmers who raise their livestock on pasture. This drives Justin insane because I’d rather purchase more expensive pasture-raised meat or not eat meat at all that night, but in the end he has seen how much better our chickens live than CAFO chickens. I know that every purchase I make to “clean meat” farmers shows someone making decisions in the agri-business world that people are appalled at the deplorable factory farm environment. Until their bottom-line begins to decrease, millions of animals will continue to suffer and the heritage animals that know how to get the job done, on pasture, will disappear.

I cannot tell you that a pasture-raised animal does not suffer. Of course it suffers for an instant at death, but it dies to feed us. The reason livestock are here is to sustain us, and only in their death can that happen. What I care about is the life they lived before that final day. I take solace in the fact that my chickens felt the sunshine and breeze on their feathers. They got to flap their wings and make all kinds of racket. They got to peck the dirt and take dust baths. I don’t feel guilty harvesting them anymore because I know the beautiful life they lived. I can tell you that I am extremely thankful for them.

A vegetarian’s diet can support sustainable agriculture and does make a difference in how vegetables are conventionally grown, but keeping that money kept out of the hands of responsible small livestock farmers isn’t changing the treatment of those CAFO animals you are abstaining from eating. If you spend your hard-earned cash on one pasture-raised meat product a week, things would have to change in the CAFO industry and fast! When the money is gone from those factory operations, the animals will not live such sad lives.

I raise meat because I love animals and I eat it for the same reason.