The Pet Report

Today more people are making the choice to eat healthy. Healthy eating can encompass a number of things from eating more fresh vegetables and fruits to making a commitment to not eat animal products or anything in between. Along with healthy eating, another term has become very popular “free range.” Today you can find a number of free range products including eggs, meats and chicken. The latter of the three has become very popular lately. What exactly is free range? Are there benefits to eating free range? Where did free range start? Here you will find the answer to these questions so that you can make an informed decision on eating free range products.

The definition of the term free range differs depending on where you live. If you live outside of the United States, free range refers to animals being allowed to roam wherever they want without being caged up for any period of time. A free range chicken has access to the outdoors, the green grass, and the shining sun whenever he wants. Now if you live within the United States, free range has a different meaning. It refers only to poultry. Free range chicken, ducks, and turkeys have access to the outside. It does not specify the amount of time the animal can be outside or what the size of the outside is. So if a free range animal does not decide to move outside it stays in the often tiny, cramped cage.

Free range was typical until farmers started utilizing barbed and chicken wire. Before the twentieth century, all people knew about raising animals was to provide them with a varied diet and sunshine. Those who raised cattle found it difficult to keep them all in one place and carry large heavy bags of feed to them, so they kept them on their land. Free range chickens lived that way until about 1920. In 1920 came the discovery of Vitamin A and Vitamin D. Due to this, free range chicken farmers realized that they could market their animals at a commercial level by successfully using confinement. Once chickens were successfully confined, other livestock owners followed suit.

Today there is still a debate over whether or not eating free range products truly offers any health benefits. There are a number of very valid points that support that argument that free range is better for us. One such reason is the fact that animals that are confined tend to have a higher incidence of disease and illness. Free range animals do not have this risk because they are not kept in small confined spaces in close proximity to one another. Free range animals also have access to more sources that are nutrient dense such as grass and bugs. This makes free range animals better for us because they are packed with vitamins and minerals. Whereas confined animals do not have access to the green grass or as many bugs, they are also only given enough food to survive. Confined animals’ food is often loaded with high doses of antibiotics. The purpose of the antibiotics is to keep the animal disease free. You then eat these animals. Eating animals that are loaded with antibiotics is bad for your health.

Making a decision about your health means that you need to take the time to do the research. Informed decisions are always the best decision. Just as here you were provided with information on free range chickens, you can find information on any health topic. Remember that a well informed decision is a decision that you are going to be able to put in to effect and be successful with.

If you want to know more about Range Free Chicken go to www.brookersmeat.com to get more information and Great Recipes

« Older Entries