Animals and Growth Hormones
In an effort to produce more and more animals at an unnatural and rapid rate for human consumption, many animals are fed growth hormones so that they can be raised and slaughtered at an expedited rate.
If everyone knew how these animals were raised, many would become vegetarians on the spot. One horrible example, egg-laying chickens are usually raised six to a cage. Every chicken receives approximately 67 square inches of space. These chickens are also treated with growth hormones as well as antibiotics to increase growth rate and decrease disease. Free-range and certified organic chickens MAY receive more spacious conditions and are not fed hormones or antibiotics.
One thing that has always made me wonder. After you handle chicken it is suggested that you use bleach to clean all surfaces so that you remove the potentially harmful bacteria. Chicken must be cooked to certain temperatures and for a measured period of time to ensure you will not catch a food-borne illnesses. I must say, it does not seem wise to eat anything that has to be handled with such care.
From there, you can easily move into how cattle are treated. Let’s start with dairy cattle. Dairy cattle are often given hormones that stimulate their reproductive processes so that they continue to produce milk. A cow will only produce milk after she has given birth. They’ll often live in cramped conditions and as soon as they calve, 99% of the males are sent to become veal while females are raised to produce milk. The hormones that the cows receive cause the cow to produce ten times more milk than they would naturally. They are hooked up to electric milking machines, which often causes irritation of the udder.
After a certain age, humans really don’t need to consume milk. We were not designed to drink cow milk, but human milk. Obviously. We were not designed to drink cow milk and digest those proteins either. More and more humans are being born lactose-intolerant. There is a good reason for this. Hopefully, mankind will eventually learn this stuff is not for us. You can receive just as much and more calcium from green, leafy vegetables.
The production of veal is negatively viewed by not just vegetarians but also many meat eaters. The veal industry is cruel no matter who you are and how you look at it. Calves are ripped away from their mothers at only one day old. They are then cooped up in pens that prevent them from being able to move so that their muscle tissue stays soft and tender. The calves are then fed a liquid, often containing beer, that is deficient in iron and fiber. This causes anemia in the animal and produces the pale meat that veal is known for. At about 20 weeks, the calf is slaughtered. What a wonderful life.
We might as well talk turkey now. Turkey has become very popular over the past few decades and it is eaten for more than just holidays. Turkeys are aggressive birds so they are kept in a confined dark area to discourage aggressive behavior. They are overfed to the point where their legs can no longer support the weight of their body. This is because Americans want the largest turkey breast they can get their hands on. In the wild, a turkey may live up to ten years. These turkeys are slaughtered at two. They regularly suffer from foot and leg deformities. Approximately 2.7 million turkeys die each year due to abnormal stress and disease.
Many religions stray away from pork for various reasons. Pigs are raised in similar unsanitary conditions. In fact, many workers on pig farms have died from breathing in the methane gas that is produced from the immense amount of waste the pigs excrete on a daily basis. The pigs are also overfed and kept in confined crates. They have a limited range of movement that does not allow them to behave naturally. They also often fed growth hormones and antibiotics.
The meat industry has become very unnatural and unhealthy. When put into perspective it’s easy to see why vegetarian living is the healthiest option there is.
Mr. SoVeg
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