Congrats too you both

There is a place for free range poultry and the eggs they produce. But what HSUS doesn’t seem to realize is the problems with free range birds. I have free range chickens and turkeys. They are great for pest control and I believe that their eggs are better. Having said that in all honesty there is no way a large operation could free range without considerable expense in the form of “chicken tractors” or other such movable pens. Expense that would be passed on to the consumer. Free birds often wander into neighbors property eating their flowers as well as making dusting stations. The birds can and will wander onto roads were they may fall victim to cars or may cause accidents. And just about every predator out there enjoys chicken for dinner. This includes snakes which can and do crawl through chicken wire. And they will kill hens that are brooding eggs. I personally don’t think HSUS does any research into any issue but in particular farming.

I saw this article in Beef Daily this morning and thought I might pass it along. Thanks and keep up the good work!

I must agree with Terri. When I can, I buy my eggs from someone who raises the birds on pasture. They are certified organic. I pay $4.50 a dozen for eggs which are not sized, so they vary from large to jumbo. They are the best tasting eggs I have ever had, but they are more than twice the price of cage eggs available from the local supermarkets. For someone on a limited budget that uses eggs as an affordable protein, to mandate that all eggs have to come from pastured hens would probably have a negative impact on that individual’s nutrition.

I am particularly persuaded by Dr. Grandin’s research that shows that “enriched” cage environments will answer the needs of the chickens to engage in natural behaviors, while preserving the efficiency of large scale egg production and keeping prices affordable. Dr. Grandin has devoted her life to researching the best and most humane ways to handle the animals we depend on for food and her research has changed the way that those animals are handled.

Farmers are not evil. They are a national treasure and must be given the respect they have earned.

Well said Marguerite… and thank you.  It is important for people to also realize that there is no one right way to farm or raise livestock.  Every farm is a unique and diverse enterprise.  What works or is good on one particular farm, may not be the best management or production practice for another.  The reasons may be due to geography, topography, natural resource limitations, facility limitations, financial or labor limitations, etc. etc.  all of which are valid considerations and have nothing to do with how well a farming enterprise is managed or whether it is “desirable or not”.  Instead of criticizing farmers for not embracing certain ideological practices, consumers should recognize that having diversity in ag production with many sizes and types of farming methods improves the strength, safety and future viability of food production for our country.

Well all should help the animal’s as much as we can too

Lets just be careful to not assume that most animals are not well cared for.  For most farmers that I know, caring for their animals on a daily basis is such an integral part of what they do, it is not given a second thought until there is a media report highlighting bad practices.  I just don’t believe this is the norm - it is the minor exception.  In those few cases, yes, efforts must be taken on behalf of animals welfare.  The problem is, the ARI propaganda will paint the picture to unknowing consumers that most farms are like this and all confinement operations lack animal welfare - its simply not true.  I just returned from the All American Dairy Show in Harrisburg, PA- a week long national celebration of the dairy industry and youth events with about 3,000 of the finest dairy cows in the country of all breeds.  There were small farms, big farms, organic farms, conventional, traditional, alternative, diverse, confinement, etc in attendance.  Every one of those animals appears to receive excellent care and as one who understands the value of these exceptional cows (as well as a few of the prominent breeders in the industry in attendance) I can assure you that cow comfort (ie animal welfare) is at the top of the list, just as it is for the thousands of farms in our region that do not have that top level cow.  If we don’t take cow comfort, quality nutrition and health into consideration in how we manage our farms, we will not be productive or profitable.  Unless we start out rich (or are making a fortune selling a specialty product and don’t need to be productive) we won’t survive in this ag economic climate for long.  So I am not buying into the ARI propaganda.  Temple Grandin is a tremendous asset to the livestock industry, however, most farmers who have practiced good stockmanship skills for decades (or generations) caring for their animals have learned little from her work.  Her work with animal flow and stress reduction at packing plants has resulted in industry changes, but at the farm level, there haven’t been many changes, perhaps things are not really as bad as portrayed to the general public at the farm level?  Who decides what should be changed on a farm?  Who determines when there is an animal welfare issue with livestock?  Common sense tells us we should all do what we can to help animals, but many believe animals need help when they really don’t because they are placing human emotions on what they perceive would make the animal “happier” vs. listening to what the animal is telling their caregivers (they don’t often lie and good stockmen know how to read their animals, unfortunately, the ARI and avg consumer are not that knowledgeable).

And yes, congrats to Gayla T and Dr Joe, which is really what this post was about - I went on a tangent.  I always look for Dr Joe’s posts - really enjoy them!

One of the key factors that plays into the sad plight of many of our animals is ignorance.  I see in my area so many with the “Oh, it’s just a dog” attitude. It could be a cat, or any other pet for that matter. We need to somehow get people especially in rural, and especially the southeastern part of the US, educated as to the intelligence, feelings, and general upkeep of caring for animals.  I see so many just tied out on runners or worse, to a tree, and left there all or the majority of the time.  I see dogs with no collars or identification just put out to fend for themselves along a busy highway. If they are run over and killed, many people just think, “so what”.  It is very sad. The animal shelters have many good workers, but not nearly enough. Not enough space, funding, or adoption-minded citizens either. I think children should be educated regarding animal and pet care and shown the proper way to regard our wildlife and domesticated animals from preschool up. Maybe some in the future generations would develop respect for all inhabitants of this planet.

i love animals of all kinds, and wish everyone would be at least, considerate of animals, small children elderly, and their fellow human beings..  but alas we all have flaws and , being human we are not perfect.  but all this cruelty has to end somewhere and i will help all i can with my voice as far as it can spread and with my hands and heart help, wherever i can reach.  please help make these laws stick, and be permanant.  these animals need us.  thank you for all you do.  pamela mcgowan.

Thanks for sharing that with us,Yes please, Matt keep up the good work for protecting the animals too :0

We need a lot more out there like you, but I know there are others who would do anything for the animals too.