Great link n/m
From: BJ Bliffert RKC
Subject: Nutrition
Date/Time 2008-06-12 23:46:00
Remote IP: 76.184.209.238
Message
This may come as a surprise but "free range" is kind of a joke, even in the industry.
Chicken are typically sent to slaughter around week seven. In that time, even the "organic free range" are kept inside for the first five for fear of catching something if they go outside (since they can't be given antibiotics). While in the barn, they are given only slightly, a few square inches, more room then there non-free range brethren. This extra space serves to purposes, one they get to marketed as free range, to since there are less birds in the coop there is less chance of spreading illness, should one get sick.
Outside the coop, there is kept a beautiful stretch of grass, neatly mowed and fenced in. Come around week 5 small "pass-throughs" are opened so the birds can "range free', if they choose. But, they are so conditioned to being in their confined surroundings they don't go outside.
Typically by this time they are too heavy for their legs to support them any way they just say put. Remember, like any industry the faster you turn over stock, the more money you make. The birds have been bread to grow fast with ample amount of breast meat...since that's what we all want.
So, unless you're buying your bird right from the farmer (technically a rancher) other than the feed it's getting, it really isn't that much different.
My point is, be careful of the term you use. Once government or industry are allowed to define them, they may not mean what they used to, or we think they should mean. Organic TV Diner, anyone?
FWIW, beef is the same way. Just fewer animals in the pen.
Find a local farmer/rancher.
Two books to get:
Omnivore Dilemma by Pollan
and
Everything I want to do is illegal by Salitan (sp?)
What about organic HFCS? Just kidding, but not really.
BJ's Blog
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