Quote:
Originally Posted by Liam
I grew up on a farm, we didn't castrate any roosters, however when they were of a certain age, and not required for their procreative abilities, we butchered them and ate them. Hens that were poor layers or not needed were also butchered. Old hens were butchered and they were not fryers but stewers. I don't know how the big corporate chicken outfits handle this. Most of the beef sold in stores comes from steers, bulls that were castrated at an early age, and raised specifically for the table. The meat from old bulls and old cows is quite often mixed with into hamburger from younger animals. Cows are usually kept as baby making machines, one bull can easily service 500 cows. The demand for veal is minute compared to the productivity of the beef industry. Sheep is similar to the beef industry; mutton is an older ewe, comparable to a stewing hen.
We didn't name something, we intended to eat.
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Thanks Liam. Going to pass this one on to my daughter who has recently announced her intention to become a "vegan" (no milk products or eggs). She heard that all the baby boy chicks were slaughtered upon hatching and didn't want to be a participant in the massacre.
Just hearing about old bull and cow being mixed in with young ground meat kind of diminishes any lingering fondness for the old fashioned hamburger.
Whole different life on the farm. Imagine not naming your critters because they're going to end up on the dinner plate! When I've been overseas in third world countries, I've never become accustomed to the casual practice of selling chickens on the road - chopping off their heads at the "check out".
Moving closer and closer back to 100% vegetarian myself.
Thanks, Liam, for the info. Any more stories down on the farm?
