Katharina Buczek
Select A Humanely Raised Turkey
Yes, there are countless people who believe that animal agriculture is already inherently inhumane. Despite that, though, most can agree that there are some farming processes that are more dignified than others.
Currently, all domesticated turkeys hail from wild turkeys that are indigenous to North America and South America. A few centuries of domestication, though, created numerous different breeds– many of which are now either extinct or on their way to extinction.
So, whenever you shop at a run-of-the-mill grocery store, you will likely be able to pick from only two breeds– the Broad Breasted White and the Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys.
But while these birds may satisfy the commercial needs of producers, they are no longer able to live, mate, and grow as turkeys were originally meant to.
Instead, you might want to consider purchasing a heritage turkey this year.
First of all, heritage turkeys are only grown to a proportionate size– unlike conventional turkeys, which are bred to be so large that they can no longer mate naturally.
On top of that, heritage turkeys are slaughtered much later than conventional turkeys– twenty-eight weeks into life as opposed to sixteen weeks, to be exact. And this later date allows heritage birds to grow slower and more humanely.
Check Your Bird’s Certifications
Simply buying a heritage turkey does not automatically guarantee that the bird was raised on a farm that honors sustainable processes, though.
So, you can look out for additional certifications– such as the Global Animal Partnership label, which indicates that “animals are raised without the use of antibiotics, added hormones, or added by-products.”
