Free range meats Tips

Read these 10 Free range meats Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Steak tips and hundreds of other topics.

Free range meats Tips has been rated 3.2 out of 5 based on 315 ratings and 1 user reviews.
What is so special about free range chicken?

Free Range Chicken vs. Commercial Chicken

Free range chickens live on natural diets and their lives are free of stress because they are able to roam, follow their instincts and live as nature intended. Commercial chickens are raised in factories, or “chicken plants” where they are kept in cramped quarters. The chickens in some plants can be packed so tightly next to each other that they are unable to move around. This in turn produces stress in the bird. Stress can lead to disease and even bad tasting meat! The growth of some chickens is stunted because of the cramped conditions – and then they are given hormones to make them fat. If you want high quality chicken that is disease free and raised in humane conditions, you should purchase free range chicken.

   
Can feeding a cow grain make them sick?

Free Range Beef Are Free of Sicknesses

It is known throughout the farming and ranching communities that cattle in feedlots will generally suffer from very acidic digestive systems from being fed excessive amounts of grain . . . and from being confined.

“Subacute acidosis” is one illness that is prevalent in cattle feedlots. This illness is very painful to the animals. They will pant, kick at their bellies, have diarrhea, eat dirt and refuse their feed. These cattle suffer from chronic belly aches.

Feedlot cows are generally more aggressive than free range cows, as well. This is due in part to the fact that feedlot cattle are generally fed once a day in the morning. Being confined in a feedlot 24/7 keeps the cattle from following their natural instincts which are to roam and graze, especially in the late evenings.

Morally speaking, many consumers are choosing to purchase free range beef over commercial beef – which is usually raised in a feedlot or “beef factory.” The fact that free range beef is healthier for you is simply the cherry on top. The Internet is a great place for you to locate free range beef. If you are concerned about animal welfare and want to help the quality of life for beef cattle, show your support by only buying free range beef.

   
My local grocer doesn't have free range beef, where do I get it?

Order Free Range Beef Online

The chances are high that you will be unable to locate free range beef in your local supermarket. If so, let the Internet come to your rescue. It is easy to locate a free range beef producer and order your products by mail. Many times you can even have your order delivered overnight. This overnight delivery service ensures that the meat you are receiving is fresh and ready to cook or freeze.

Another important thing you should know about ordering your free range beef via the Internet is that you can customize your order with the cuts of meat you prefer. Consumers are no longer forced to choose commercial meats produced at a factory which are already prepackaged when they hit the local supermarket shelves. The Internet has opened up an entire new world for those who are healthy eaters.

   
Why do some people give up eating meat, even if they like it?

Free Range Beef Is Coming to the Rescue of Concerned Meat Eaters

Many people have given up meat due to health concerns. They are alarmed about the health hazards of consuming animals which have been raised on unnatural substances such as hormones and antibiotics. Another concern which leads people to avoid eating meat is the stress that confined animals undergo during their lives.

We all have heard about the stress hormones which are released in an animal's system when he or she is in a frightening environment. These chemicals which are released in frightened cattle end up in the meat that you put on your dinner table. Many people simply do not want to ingest a product that is chock full of stress hormones, growth hormones and/or antibiotics.

If you have given up meat because of health concerns, you can feel safe purchasing free range beef. Unlike cattle that are raised in a feedlot, free range cattle are allowed to roam. Free range cattle are less anxious and stressed than their brothers and sisters which live in a feedlot. There is no need to fear that these animals are frightened or that their meat is laced with stress chemicals.

Another benefit of consuming only free range beef is that the cattle are not fed artificial feed which has all the by-products and un-organic properties that health conscious consumers want to avoid. Free range cattle feed only on natural organic grasses. This gives them all of the necessary nutrients they need to be strong and healthy. This means a natural, healthier and safer quality of meat for you when it reaches the marketplace.

   
Why are some animal rights advocates supporting free range chicken producers?

Humane Treatment of Animals

It normally takes about three months for a chicken to reach maturity, but today's chicken factories are speeding up the maturity process to about six weeks for chickens. This speeding of the chicken's growth is unhealthy for the bird and for you the consumer. When chickens are made to grow at such an unnatural rate, their lungs and hearts cannot sustain them. A bigger, fatter chicken requires more oxygen which in turn makes the chicken's heart beat faster. Eventually, a young chicken's heart can fail under the burden. This is called “ascities” and it is cited for killing millions of fowl worldwide.
As the practices of many chicken factories or plants are coming to light, many are choosing to only purchase free range chicken. Environmentalists and animal rights advocates do so in support of the natural and healthy living conditions that free range chickens are raised in. Others choose to purchase only free range chickens because they are assured of receiving quality meat. Wherever your interests lie, purchasing free range chickens is the best choice for both you and the chicken!

   
What is a free range lamb?

Free Range Lambs Can Stay With Their Mothers

Free range lamb is similar to free range beef and chicken in that the animals are allowed to live out in the open pastures instead of feed lots. New lambs are allowed to be with their mothers in the pasture where they can feed on natural grasses and their mother's milk at will. Free range lambs are not given unnatural diets of animal byproducts. It is no surprise that free range lamb is more tasty and tender than commercial lamb – their growth is natural and not enhanced with steroids.

Unbeknownst to many, allowing lambs to roam freely can be an essential part of maintaining the environment. Their free grazing helps to build up the soil with organic matter (manure) while their endless eating helps to stay off the growth of noxious weeds. If you have a field or pasture that you are tired of mowing, purchase lambs and they will chew it down for you.

   
Why are environmental groups encouraging people to purchase free range beef?

Environmentalists Embrace Free Range Beef Farming Methods

There is no doubt that farming is a major industry worldwide. There is also no question that many of today's commercial farming practices are taking a toll on the environment. Unfortunately, these unnatural farming methods have even impacted the cattle market. Today, cattle are ready for the market in less than two years, which is an improvement from half a century ago when cattle went to the market when they were around three years of age.

This rush to the marketplace is a result of feeding cattle on mixtures of substances which are unnatural to them such as growth hormones, excessive grain and antibiotics. However, due to the falling standards of beef (and the seemingly low nutritional value of beef due to these unnatural practices), many farmers and ranchers question their methods. Many of them are changing the way they raise cattle and are going back to the old way of doing things by raising free range beef. These organic farmers and ranchers are no longer buying grains, steroids, antibiotics and hormones. They are simply letting the cattle roam the pastures and allowing them to grow naturally.

The numbers don't lie. Free range beef is a better quality of meat and the nutritional value exceeds commercial beef. Many environmental groups are embracing the techniques which are implemented by free range beef ranchers and farmers. If you are environmentally conscious and want to make a difference in your world (and your health) you should only patron those farmers and ranchers who produce free range beef.

   
Are there antibiotics in free range chicken?

Free Range Chickens Are Free of Antibiotics

Free range chicken is chosen by many over commercial chicken simply because it is free of hormones and antibiotics. We have all heard the stories of people becoming immune to antibiotics. This is due in part because people are eating meat that is laden with antibiotics. More than 50% of the antibiotics that are given to commercial farm animals are the same as the antibiotics given to humans. No wonder there is strains of bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotics! If you want to slam the door on human disease having a chance to run rampant throughout your household, you should purchase free range chicken instead of the commercial chicken that is found at your local supermarket.

   
How do I know the free range beef I buy is safe?

How to Judge a Free Range Beef Dealer

When purchasing free range beef on the Internet, you should look for a company that maintains a strict HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) plan. You should also look for a company that has in-house USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) inspector. This way, you can be assured that the meat is of the highest quality and that all safety and health guidelines are being met during the slaughter, cutting and packing process. You will know you are at a reputable free range beef supplier's website when the HACCP and USDA information is listed and the supplier states he or she follows these guidelines.

   
Are commercial chickens raised under artificial light?

Artificial Lights to Foster Growth

Every living thing needs sunshine. Animals are no exception. Did you know that most of the birds in commercial chicken plants never see the sunlight? Many of these birds are kept under artificial lights for 20 plus hours per day! This constant lighting is applied to the birds because it speeds up their growth and makes them ready for the marketplace sooner. However, this unnatural light is not good for the birds. It depresses their immune system and suppresses melatonin, which is an immune-boosting hormone. Their illnesses are then treated with antibiotics and vaccines. So, not only are you consuming an unhealthy bird, but one which is full of antibiotics.

Free range chickens, on the other hand, are the healthiest of all chickens. These chickens are allowed to roam in pastures where they have natural sunlight and the benefits of dark at nighttime. They are not given antibiotics or growth hormones. These birds are allowed to mature naturally without the help of man.

   
Not finding the advice and tips you need on this Steak Tip Site? Request a Tip Now!


Guru Spotlight
Lynda Moultry