Read the words carefully. I know nothing about the company but find their advertising nonsensical. It highlights and summarizes what many of my posts touch on.
My co-op in Philadelphia sells this brand chicken. I looked into the company once when I was concerned about the quality of meat I buy, and it seems much like traditional chicken farming. Similar style housing, they just get "enrichment" toys. I suppose that's slightly better than being crammed in tiny cages getting the shit pecked out of each other, but it's no free-range bird that's for sure. ~AM
Good one Meredith. Antibiotic free is supposed to mean the animal you are about to eat doesn't have them in its system at the time of slaughter. They should certainly be treated if they are sick.
ok, so I'm anon 10:15 and I agree with you as well which is why I guessed that. I need some advice from you and your readers on this issue b/c I feel like you can research something and get any answer you want depending on where you look. I generally agree with most of your readers, so here is what I am wondering. I am whole heartedly into organic gardens. No pesticides, no herbicides, etc. Its tough and I lose a lot of produce to bugs, but I love eating stuff right off my vines. Now, with animals and organic farms. I like raw milk with no hormones and such. I would like it if my animals aren't slaughtered with antibiotics in their system. But, I don't want organic farms to let animals suffer just to not give them drugs. I also don't agree with routine use of antibiotics for shits and giggles which can cause resistance. But is it so bad to eat beef in a cow that was treated successfully with antibiotics at some time in the past? I mean, I use drugs when I absolutely have to. Is my thinking flawed? I have heard of organic farms in which after the animal is treated with antibiotics, they are no longer organic and get sold/slaughtered at a loss, so farmers are hesitant to treat. Is that true? If so, should we really be supporting full organic animal farms or should we instead focus on "humane farms" with responsible use of antibiotics, but not hormones to increase production??? Where is a girl with my beliefs to get chicken, beef, etc. in a responsible way? I am scared to support organic beef and chicken farms because of my beliefs in humane standards. Organic doesn't seem to mean humane anymore?? I don't ever see myself raising all that for myself on my 1 acre suburban lot.. and I am middle class-ish (on a good week) - not poor, but not rich enough to join a fancy family type CSA. Thoughts?
The "no antibiotics, ever" could be true AND humane at the same time. I worked on an organic dairy farm and none of the cows that produced milk that was sold EVER got antibiotics. However, we DID have sick animals that were treated with antibiotics (after trying organic approved treatments) and those animals were immediately removed from production and tagged with red ear tags, and were sold on the next truck (usually once per week). Those cows were ALWAYS treated humanely, but antibiotics were never given to animals whose milk went into the tank.
We tried organic approved treatment methods first, and those usually worked. Occasionally we had an animal (usually a young calf) that didn't respond, and we'd treat with antibiotics (which were kept under lock and key by the farm manager), so no animals were ever neglected.
And, ALL milk and meat contains naturally occurring hormones. No company can claim "hormone free", but they can instead say, "no added hormones."
I have also worked on conventional dairy farms, and I buy conventional milk. Not that I don't support organic dairies, but I know the care that goes into producing conventional milk and I don't think it's necessary to buy organic. That's my personal belief and opinion. Conventional farmers also remove treated cows from the production line, and they test their bulk tanks regularly to make sure there is NO residue of any kind. They don't want to risk any antibiotic residue in their bulk tank, because if their milk is tainted, they'll be responsible for the ENTIRE truckload of milk. The truck drivers take samples from each bulk tank when they're picking up milk, and the samples get tested, but after the driver has picked up milk from all the farms on his route. So, if Farmer Jones had tainted milk, he'd be responsible for paying for ALL the milk on the truck from the other farms as well. It's a HUGE incentive for farmers to be VERY careful with antibiotic use (and other meds as well).
Please share what you know. Those signs are suddenly popping up all over in my area at farms that never had them.
ReplyDeleteDo they do the wood chipper thing to discard their unsold chicks?
ReplyDeleteRead the words carefully. I know nothing about the company but find their advertising nonsensical. It highlights and summarizes what many of my posts touch on.
ReplyDeleteMy co-op in Philadelphia sells this brand chicken. I looked into the company once when I was concerned about the quality of meat I buy, and it seems much like traditional chicken farming. Similar style housing, they just get "enrichment" toys. I suppose that's slightly better than being crammed in tiny cages getting the shit pecked out of each other, but it's no free-range bird that's for sure. ~AM
ReplyDeleteBecause sometimes to be humane, you need to give antibiotics.
ReplyDeleteBINGO!
DeleteNo antibiotics...ever!
???
Are they saying they NEVER have a sick chicken ever?
I highly doubt that.
Humane and antibiotics have nothing to do with one another.
Antibiotics equals inhumane now?
The exact opposite is true!
Imagine telling the masses "no more antibiotics" it's inhumane.
That's ludicrous.
Good one Meredith. Antibiotic free is supposed to mean the animal you are about to eat doesn't have them in its system at the time of slaughter. They should certainly be treated if they are sick.
ReplyDeleteAgree wholeheartedly.
ReplyDeleteok, so I'm anon 10:15 and I agree with you as well which is why I guessed that. I need some advice from you and your readers on this issue b/c I feel like you can research something and get any answer you want depending on where you look. I generally agree with most of your readers, so here is what I am wondering. I am whole heartedly into organic gardens. No pesticides, no herbicides, etc. Its tough and I lose a lot of produce to bugs, but I love eating stuff right off my vines. Now, with animals and organic farms. I like raw milk with no hormones and such. I would like it if my animals aren't slaughtered with antibiotics in their system. But, I don't want organic farms to let animals suffer just to not give them drugs. I also don't agree with routine use of antibiotics for shits and giggles which can cause resistance. But is it so bad to eat beef in a cow that was treated successfully with antibiotics at some time in the past? I mean, I use drugs when I absolutely have to. Is my thinking flawed? I have heard of organic farms in which after the animal is treated with antibiotics, they are no longer organic and get sold/slaughtered at a loss, so farmers are hesitant to treat. Is that true? If so, should we really be supporting full organic animal farms or should we instead focus on "humane farms" with responsible use of antibiotics, but not hormones to increase production??? Where is a girl with my beliefs to get chicken, beef, etc. in a responsible way? I am scared to support organic beef and chicken farms because of my beliefs in humane standards. Organic doesn't seem to mean humane anymore?? I don't ever see myself raising all that for myself on my 1 acre suburban lot.. and I am middle class-ish (on a good week) - not poor, but not rich enough to join a fancy family type CSA. Thoughts?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately "humane" is not necessarily humane. Ayrshire Farm is " certified humane" and is a hell hole of neglect and abuse.
DeleteGet to know your farmer personally inside and out. Its the only way.
The "no antibiotics, ever" could be true AND humane at the same time. I worked on an organic dairy farm and none of the cows that produced milk that was sold EVER got antibiotics. However, we DID have sick animals that were treated with antibiotics (after trying organic approved treatments) and those animals were immediately removed from production and tagged with red ear tags, and were sold on the next truck (usually once per week). Those cows were ALWAYS treated humanely, but antibiotics were never given to animals whose milk went into the tank.
ReplyDeleteWe tried organic approved treatment methods first, and those usually worked. Occasionally we had an animal (usually a young calf) that didn't respond, and we'd treat with antibiotics (which were kept under lock and key by the farm manager), so no animals were ever neglected.
And, ALL milk and meat contains naturally occurring hormones. No company can claim "hormone free", but they can instead say, "no added hormones."
I have also worked on conventional dairy farms, and I buy conventional milk. Not that I don't support organic dairies, but I know the care that goes into producing conventional milk and I don't think it's necessary to buy organic. That's my personal belief and opinion. Conventional farmers also remove treated cows from the production line, and they test their bulk tanks regularly to make sure there is NO residue of any kind. They don't want to risk any antibiotic residue in their bulk tank, because if their milk is tainted, they'll be responsible for the ENTIRE truckload of milk. The truck drivers take samples from each bulk tank when they're picking up milk, and the samples get tested, but after the driver has picked up milk from all the farms on his route. So, if Farmer Jones had tainted milk, he'd be responsible for paying for ALL the milk on the truck from the other farms as well. It's a HUGE incentive for farmers to be VERY careful with antibiotic use (and other meds as well).