This hit home: it is one reason we do Longhorn and heritage breeds.
What I am finding is that the "for production" breeds basically
require a lot of human help to survive. I do not have the time or
energy. I raised meat chickens once, and found it really depressing.
There are a lot of stories about this that show up in science
magazines. In Africa, the "native" cows don't grow very fast,
and they are mean. But they can fight off local predators (big
horns) and they survive anything.
Texas Longhorns are the remnants of some cows that the Spaniards
let loose in the 1500's or so. They multiplied massively, and were
mostly all "harvested" in the 1800's. But they simply don't require care.
Actually you *can't* care for them, because a Longhorn cow isn't going
to let you anywhere near her calf! They are nice enough though, if
they know you, and extremely intelligent.
In terms of fasting ... these wild cows can live off next to nothing.
When you look at them, they look tough and skinny. In fact, they
have very little fat (and none of it is subcutaneous, unlike Angus).
They do have less meat than an Angus, and bigger, stronger, bones.
Which is bad for farmers who are paid by the pound.
But the meat is *different* and it fills a person up faster. Ditto for
free-range chickens. It is extremely difficult to eat much of it, no
matter how tasty it is. It seems to hit the "I'm full" button in a way
that factory-farmed meat does not. One beef a year is plenty for a
family, or maybe two families, and one chicken a week is enough
too (esp. when you add the eggs).
I have no idea why that is, but it would make an interesting study.
I'm pretty sure that Americans are consuming WAY more than
they actually need, because the "off button" is jammed.
On Thu, Aug 6, 2009 at 5:09 AM, <havens@iowatelecom.
> I was really interested in your numbers about the $$$$ involved with
> skipping one meal per week.
>
> But we raise cattle, and I dairy-farmed for 25 years, and not all
> meat/dairy products are produced in the "big" farm picture.
>
> Lots of farmers and livestock producers are doing what they think is best
> for the health and welfare of the crops and livestock they grow. The
> almighty buck is just a necessary evil of the banker. Most farmers get
> less than a 2% return on investment on everything they own, and usually do
> not even calculate a return on labor for the hours they work. It would be
> too depressing to even think about.
>
> Livestock producers check cattle 7 days a week, often every 2 hours all
> day and night long, in calving season. We take calves into the house to
> try and get them warmed up in cold weather, and learn how to give IVs and
> shots and medications only if necessary to get them to live. The stories
> I can tell you about farmers putting their livestock before themselves and
> their families are endless.
>
> Even the big boys try and get the livestock to live. Essential to their
> bottom line. I read an article once about comparing the hormones in
> beef to that in fresh lettuce, and the lettuce was much higher.....but I
> have to find it again. I will try and not put out that kind of info
> without a direct source.
>
> We feed our own cattle out, and do no implants or hormones, and there
> isn't a market for selling 60 head of cattle handled this way, to offset
> the extra costs.
>
> There is a gap between the small operations that grown things this way,
> and people concerned about these issues.
>
> Just an honest opinion/observation from "the other side"
>
> Karen
>
>
>>
>> You make a good point as to what would happen if we all fasted one day a
>> week. I think I posted a few months back something about the effect
>> Fast-5 would make on the economy if only one million people went on
>> Fast-5. If I save $200 a month by not eating lunch or dinner, you
>> multiply that times one million, you would take $200,000,000 out of the
>> food industry per month! That would be quite a hit to the food growers
>> and animal farmers. BUT... along the same lines, since they wouldn't have
>> to make so much food, we might be able to go back to a more humane way of
>> raising animals than what is used now, like Heather mentioned. The
>> animals would be happier and we might be as well.
>>
>> -Rick
>>
>>
>>
>> --- In fast5@yahoogroups.
>>>
>>> Yea, I know. It was a touchy question to ask. I do not associate myself
>>> with any religion, but I think many religions do use fasting as a
>>> spiritual practice, just not on a regular (monthly, weekly, daily)
>>> schedule. If I'm wrong about this, let me know.
>>>
>>> I know some groups that try to do meatless Mondays. I wonder if we
>>> should also have Fasting Fridays, for those of us who eat multiple times
>>> a day. Or maybe, one day just doesn't cut it, but can you imagine if
>>> everyone did fast one day a week, what could happen!?
>>>
>>> ~Erica
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
> ------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
--
Heather Twist
http://eatingoffthe
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