Although historians are still unsure if turkey meat was served at the First Thanksgiving, these gregarious and affectionate birds have been considered a Thanksgiving mainstay for centuries.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that nearly 224 million turkeys are killed each year. Of those about 45 million are killed for Thanksgiving meals, according to the National Turkey Federation.
Domestic turkeys, the ones you find in supermarkets for Thanksgiving, can live for up to 10 years. These oversized turkeys are not bred to live long-term; they are slaughtered at around five months old.
These days, domestic turkeys are raised with the express purpose of producing more meat and growing so big that they cannot even walk or breathe. These birds cannot even mate on their own and are forcibly artificially inseminated. Today, turkeys are twice the size of turkeys from less than one hundred years ago.
Turkeys endure immense suffering, physically and mentally, before ending up on a platter. They are stripped of their natural environments, treated poorly, and slaughtered in horrific ways.
Thanksgiving is a time for family, friends, and feasting. But for many, the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table is a roasted turkey. However, there are many reasons why you might want to consider ditching the turkey this year.
1. Turkeys are intelligent and social creatures. They form strong bonds with their flockmates and even with humans and other animals. They enjoy playing with round objects they can kick and roll and are naturally very curious. Similar to humans, turkeys can recognize each other based on their own unique calls.
2. Turkeys are kept in cramped and unsanitary conditions. In factory farms, turkeys are crammed into sheds with thousands of other birds. Living among their own waste can cause health issues for them.
3. Turkeys are subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment. Turkeys are frequently debeaked, meaning that a portion of their beak is removed from them painfully and without anesthetic In addition, they endure other inhumane procedures like artificial insemination and wing cutting.
4. Turkey meat is unhealthy. Turkey meat is high in fat and cholesterol, and it can also contain harmful bacteria.
5. Eating turkey contributes to environmental damage. Factory farming is a major contributor to climate change and water pollution.
6. There are many delicious and humane alternatives to turkey. There are many delicious plant-based alternatives to turkey that are just as satisfying.
7. Choosing not to eat turkey is a compassionate act. Opting not to consume turkey signifies your opposition to animal abuse.
8. You can still enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving meal without turkey. There are many delicious and festive Thanksgiving dishes that do not include turkey.
9. Choosing not to eat turkey is a healthy choice. Plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.
10. Choosing not to eat turkey is a sustainable choice. Plant-based diets are more sustainable than diets that include animal products.
If you are looking for a more compassionate, healthy, and sustainable Thanksgiving meal, consider ditching the turkey this year. There are many delicious and humane alternatives available that will allow you to enjoy a delicious and festive holiday meal without harming any animals.
10 Reasons Why You Should Not Eat Turkey This Thanksgiving
1, Turkeys Are Individuals
Turkeys are intelligent and social creatures. Together with their flock mates, they also develop close relationships with people and other animals. They are inherently very curious and like to play with round objects that they can roll and kick. Like people, turkeys can identify one another by their distinctive calls.
2. Turkeys Are Kept In Poor Conditions
In factory farms, turkeys are crammed into sheds with thousands of other birds. They are forced to live in their own waste, which can lead to health problems.
3. Dangerous Working Conditions On Turkey Farms
The fast line speeds, the dirty and slippery killing floors, and the lack of employee training make animal-processing plants some of the most dangerous places to work in America today. The industry has refused to slow down the lines or buy appropriate safety gear because these changes could cut into companies’ bottom lines.
4. Turkeys Are Sexually Molested And Abused
Turkeys are often subjected to cruel and inhumane treatment. They are often debeaked, which is the painful removal of part of their beak, without any pain relief. They are also subjected to other cruel practices, such as wing clipping and artificial insemination.
5. Inhumane Slaughter Methods
Over 200 million turkeys are slaughtered each year in the United States, and 99 percent of them are raised on factory farms. Inside these large industrialized buildings, up to 10,000 turkeys are crammed into a single barn. Most industrialized farming operations hold around 55,000 turkeys at a time.
6. Health Risks Of Eating Turkey
Turkey meat is high in fat and cholesterol, and it can also contain harmful bacteria.
7. Turkeys Can Bring Health Problems To Humans
The U.S. government is the only government in the Western world that does not have the power to force a recall of contaminated animal products. Instead, American meat companies are allowed to decide whether or not to comply when the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) or the Food and Drug Administration requests a recall.
8. Turkeys Are Not Sustainable
Factory farming is a major contributor to climate change and water pollution.
9. Turkeys Are Not Humane
Choosing not to eat turkey is a compassionate act. By choosing not to eat turkey, you are taking a stand against cruelty to animals.
10. There Are Many Delicious Alternatives To Turkey
There are many delicious and humane alternatives to turkey that are just as satisfying.
There are many reasons why you might want to consider ditching the turkey this Thanksgiving. Turkeys are intelligent and social creatures who deserve to be treated with compassion. Factory farming is cruel and inhumane, and it is also harmful to the environment. There are many delicious and humane alternatives to turkey available, so there is no need to eat turkey this Thanksgiving.
Additional Resources
- PETA: 10 Really Good Reasons Not to Eat Turkeys
- Sentient Media: 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Eat Turkey This Thanksgiving
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are turkeys really intelligent?
A: Yes, turkeys are intelligent and social creatures. They can recognize each other based on their own unique calls, and they enjoy playing with round objects.
Q: Are factory farms really that bad?
A: Yes, factory farms are cruel and inhumane. Turkeys are crammed into sheds with thousands of other birds, and they are forced to live in their own waste.
Q: Are there really delicious alternatives to turkey?
A: Yes, there are many delicious and humane alternatives to turkey that are just as satisfying.
Q: Is it really possible to have a Thanksgiving meal without turkey?
A: Yes, there are many delicious and festive Thanksgiving dishes that do not include turkey.
Turkeys Are Kept In Poor Conditions
In the wild, turkeys like to forage, construct nests, and explore their natural areas, which are often larger than 1,000 acres. However, domestic turkeys raised for meat are forced to live in cramped, dark sheds with little space for movement, foraging, or building a nest.
Due to the high-stress environments in which young turkeys live, aggressive behavior is common. But instead of raising turkeys in less crowded conditions, farmers reduce the risk of turkey-inflicted injury by searing off their beaks, cutting off their toes, and slicing off their snoods — the red dangling skin that hangs over a turkey’s beak — without anesthetics.
Turkeys are also packed into dark buildings with dim artificial lighting by the hundreds, even thousands. Instead of grass, these birds — who can still be labeled “cage-free” — stomp on concrete or straw within the buildings. Those who are not “lucky” enough to be cage-free are confined to wire enclosures until they are slaughtered.
Conditions inside factory farms are cramped, stressful and filthy. Infections are common since thousands of birds are packed into one common living space without proper care. Some turkeys suffer from skin infections after being pecked by other birds, which is a common behavior on industrial farms.
Often the large buildings housing the turkeys are not properly cleaned, so birds are forced to live in their own excrement. As a result, ammonia levels rise and birds can develop painful burns and lesions on their feet and legs. The ammonia can also negatively impact turkeys’ respiratory health. Excessive ammonia exposure can also cause hemorrhaging in the birds’ tracheas and bronchi as well as the thickening of atrial walls and shrinking of air capillaries in their lungs.
Most American turkeys are given antibiotics to reduce the risk of spreading salmonella, listeria, campylobacter, E. coli and other bacteria to humans. Yet drug-resistant strains of these bacteria are infecting people around the country.
Turkeys Have Unique Personalities
Turkeys form strong bonds with their flockmates and even with humans and other animals. They enjoy playing with round objects they can kick and roll and are naturally very curious. Similar to humans, turkeys can recognize each other based on their own unique calls.
Unlike the turkey in the video above, commercial turkeys are never allowed to develop wings, run through the grass, or live lives that are similar to those of the natural world. These birds are forced to live in dark, overcrowded buildings before they are ultimately slaughtered.