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Monday, October 22, 2007 12:00 AM

Earth to PETA

Meat is not the No. 1 cause of global warming. Yet our diet is cooking the planet, and one surprising staple turns down the heat.

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  • Monday, October 22, 2007 05:12 AM

    Have you personally been in a poultry house?

    "The life of an industrially raised chicken is not a happy one. The growing birds are warehoused in spaces so small they can't flap their wings, turn around or preen. Breeding for maximum meat production has resulted in animals whose bodies have difficulty supporting their own weight, meaning chickens live much of their lives in pain."

    This is more or less true of the conditions in hen egg-laying houses (battery cages), but it is not true of broiler (meat) or turkey facilities. They are crowded, but not at all inhumane. I have been in many in recent years.

    What you need to understand is how cattle and other ruminants can efficiently convert grass that grows on land that is unsuitable for crops due to steep grade, rocks, low moisture, etc. into high biologic-quality protein and energy for human consumption. You also need to understand how much more yield per acre there is in feed corn (ears, stalks and leaves) compared to sweet corn. In addition, ruminants utilize many waste products from other products, e.g., distillers grain, corn gluten, vegetable canning waste, citrus pulp, cottonseeds, soybean hulls, etc.

    Consider these factors from one who knows when thinking about these issues.

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