Turkey graces the table of many homes at Thanksgiving each year. About 99 percent of those turkeys are raised on a factory farm. Americans will eat nearly 48 million turkeys for Thanksgiving according to the National Turkey Federation.
Factory farmed turkeys are hatched in incubators and after only a few days part of their upper beaks are removed with a heated blade without the use of anesthetic. Removing the beak prevents the crowded birds from injuring one another through cannibalism, bullying and feather and vent pecking. Birds naturally peck at each other to investigate and work out where they fit into the flock, hence the term pecking order.
After about four weeks, the crowded birds go from a brooder to a large building with little or no natural light where they are housed with thousands of other birds. Constant artificial light disrupts their natural sleep cycle making it nearly impossible for them to get any meaningful rest so they eat. They are fed an unnatural diet of corn and soy based feed containing antibiotics. Because they are genetically identical, illness can spread quickly in the flock. On pasture, turkeys would have access to and eat plants and insects.
Modern factory farmers have genetically selected and bred the desirable Broad-breasted White turkey and in this industrialized setting, they have constant access to food, which allows them to gain weight rapidly. The birds get so fat their legs can no longer support the weight of their bodies and many are unable to stand. They are also unable to reproduce naturally. Some hens will be artificially inseminated every two days for up to 25 weeks until they can no longer produce eggs.
Life for factory-farmed turkeys is short and rather horrific. As awareness grows, more and more consumers are choosing to purchase turkeys that are pasture raised, allowing them to forage naturally. When turkeys have a proper diet that includes worms and bugs, they are healthier. The result is poultry that is tender, flavorful and more nutritious according to a number of recent studies. Industrial turkeys are often injected with saline solution and vegetables oil in an effort to improve their taste and texture.
Pastured turkeys are raised outdoors, roam freely and eat the varied diet nature intended them to eat. They do not have their beaks cruelly removed and they do not need supplements like antibiotics.
A new movement to reintroduce heritage breeds to the public is growing in popularity. Heritage breeds are more difficult to find locally but as demand for the genetically diverse birds increase, more farmers are choosing to raise them.
Be wary of terms like free range when you choose to purchase a sustainably raised turkey. A term used by the United States Department of Agriculture, it applies to animals raised for meat and there are no regulations about how much time that animal spends outside, only that it had access to the outside.
Another misleading term is vegetarian fed. Turkeys that have spent time outside will not have a vegetarian diet because they are naturally omnivores.
Turkey is low in fat and high in protein and is an excellent source of iron, phosphorus, potassium and B vitamins. Turkey contains zinc and selenium, which aids in cell and tissue repair and growth. Selenium is also essential to the thyroid and immune system and plays a crucial role in the antioxidant defense system, helping to eliminate free radicals in the body that are linked to cancer. It is no wonder turkey is considered a healthy choice for omnivores.
For retailers of pasture raised turkeys log on to www.localharvest.org, an online resource for farmers and producers searchable by location.
