What Do They Pump Into The Meat We Eat?
When you buy a package of hamburger at the supermarket, there’s a good chance you don’t think much about what’s gone into it. However, you should. Most people envision a grassy field, with cows grazing freely, if they think about their meat at all. But the reality is a lot different. Modern farming practices are designed to produce as much meat as possible, as quickly and cheaply as possible. That means that a number of practices have become standard which most people might not be happy to find out about. Here’s what you need to know about your meat.
Overcrowding and Disease
Animals in most modern farming situations are kept in very close quarters. Meat chickens aren’t usually caged, but they’re kept in flocks so dense you can’t see the floor. Cattle are crowded together in a barren feed lot so they won’t lose weight or toughen their muscles by using them. Turkeys, pigs, and other animals are usually in similar situations. Even if you’re not all that worried about animal welfare, these kinds of conditions should concern you. That’s because overcrowding makes it a lot more likely that these animals will get sick. Those illnesses can be passed to us through the meat if no one catches them, and with so many animals going through the system, it can be hard to know which ones are ill in time.
Antibiotic Treatment
Mass producing farmers don’t want their animals sick any more than consumers do, but their response isn’t to reduce the conditions that cause this disease. Their businesses are set up to depend on high yields, since prices are expected to be so low. That means that they often proactively treat their animals with antibiotics to kill the germs off before the livestock can get sick. Those antibiotics may remain in the meat after the animals are butchered. Plus, overuse of these drugs can actually breed germs that are resistant to them, increasing the health risk.
Hormonal Treatments and Additives
Some animals are also treated with hormones to increase their yield. This is most common in dairy cows, and doesn’t see much use in meat animals. But that doesn’t mean that your meat is chemical free. Many meats have been injected with water and additives to keep them juicy, treated with gaseous chemicals to keep them bright, and subjected to other treatments to make them look higher quality than they are. This is all standard practice.
So what can you do? Take the time and spend the money to buy truly high quality meat from organic or other responsible producers. It might cost more, but your health is worth it.
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