These gregarious and loving birds have been regarded as a Thanksgiving mainstay for centuries, even though historians are still not sure if turkey meat was served at the First Thanksgiving.
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.
Domestic turkeys nowadays are bred specifically to yield more meat and to get so large that they are unable to carry out basic bodily functions like breathing and walking. 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, of course food. But before you carve into that juicy-looking turkey, consider this: there are plenty of delicious, cruelty-free alternatives that won’t leave you feeling stuffed with guilt.
Here are 10 compelling reasons why you should skip the turkey this Thanksgiving:
1. Turkeys Are More Than Just Dinner:
These intelligent and social creatures deserve a life beyond factory farms 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. Factory Farms Are a Nightmare for Turkeys:
In the wild, turkeys love to roam, forage, and build nests in their natural territories, which often stretch over 1,000 acres. Domestic turkeys bred for meat, on the other hand, are forced to live in cramped, filthy conditions inside dark sheds with nowhere to roam, forage, or build a nest.
3. Antibiotic Overuse Creates Superbugs:
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.
4. Turkey Recalls Are More Common Than You Think:
Turkey meat recalls are not uncommon, despite the excessive use of antibiotics by farmers. In March of 2019, the popular turkey producer Butterball recalled nearly 80,000 pounds of raw ground turkey products due to a salmonella outbreak.
5. Inhumane Slaughter Methods Are the Norm:
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. Dismal Working Conditions on Turkey Farms:
In industrial agriculture, expectations are high to work quickly and process as much meat, milk, or eggs as possible. When production speeds are increased, animals are not the only ones who are injured; the physical and mental health of workers is often compromised.
7. Turkeys Are Loving Mothers:
Turkeys form immediate bonds with their young, much like humans. Once their eggs are soon to be hatched, mother turkeys will not leave the nest under any circumstances. When the babies are born, turkey moms keep them close by under their wings until they are old enough to forage on their own.
8. Turkeys Are Affectionate:
Turkeys enjoy being snuggled and stroked just like the companion animals we know and love. They will even purr as a sign of contentment. These affectionate birds enjoy being embraced and will fall asleep while being caressed.
9. Turkeys Are Smart:
People often believe turkeys are unintelligent. This is due to the myth that they are so “dumb” they will stare at the rain until they drown. Domestication, selective breeding, and often inbreeding cause modern turkeys to suffer from a genetic condition called tetanic torticollar spasms.
10. Delicious Turkey Alternatives Exist:
Plant-based turkey alternatives have rapidly improved over the past few years. More and more companies are popping up and Pinterest boards are overflowing with original recipes.
So ditch the guilt and the gobbler this Thanksgiving. Opt for a cruelty-free feast that’s delicious, healthy, and kind to all beings.
Additional Resources:
- GenV: 10 Reasons Why You Should Not Eat Turkey For Thanksgiving: https://genv.org/why-you-should-not-eat-turkey/
- Sentient Media: 10 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Eat Turkey This Thanksgiving: https://sentientmedia.org/10-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-eat-turkey-this-thanksgiving/
Let’s make this Thanksgiving a celebration of compassion and kindness for all.
Inhumane Slaughter Methods
In the US, more than 200 million turkeys are killed annually, and 99 percent of them are raised in 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.
A guide from the Humane Slaughter Association provides step-by-step instructions on how to slaughter animals “humanely.” Below, you will see something called a “killing cone” which is used to keep animals from squirming too much while they are being slaughtered.
Electrical stunning is often used to render the birds unconscious before slaughter, which can cause some animals to respond with “epileptic-like fits.” The handbook suggests “electrodes should be applied for a minimum of seven seconds and at least until wing-flapping stops.” In order to ensure unconsciousness, farmers are encouraged to touch the birds’ corneas to see if they react or not. If they do, another round of electricity should be applied.
Other terms appear in the “humane handbook” including neck cutting, dislocation, gas killing and concussion stunning. Concussion stunning is defined as “delivering a powerful blow to the head that results in instant unconsciousness or, if enough force is used, death.” This must be followed by neck cutting or neck dislocation to ensure the death of the bird. ”.
The most common form of stunning within American factory farms is called electric immobilization. This technique involves putting live turkeys through a conveyor belt into electrically charged water while they are shackled by their ankles, which requires force that typically breaks their fragile bones. The purpose of this water is to make the turkeys unconscious, but because the electrical currents are frequently too low, the turkeys remain conscious even after a revolving blade slashes their throats. Turkeys can occasionally miss the blade and end up being dumped into boiling hot water tanks to loosen their feathers in preparation for defeathering.
The Humane Slaughter Act was passed by the USDA Food Safety and Inspections Service (FSIS) branch in 1978 to require “humane” handling of animals before and during slaughter. This act does not apply to turkeys or chickens. Poultry birds and factory-farmed animals, in general, have virtually zero legal protections.
Turkeys Are Loving Mothers
Turkeys form immediate bonds with their young, much like humans. Once their eggs are soon to be hatched, mother turkeys will not leave the nest under any circumstances. When the babies are born, turkey moms keep them close by under their wings until they are old enough to forage on their own.
Some baby birds, like raptors and songbirds, wait in the nest while their mothers forage for food, but it is unusual for turkey mothers and their babies, called poults, to be apart. Poults will panic if separated from their mothers for too long, and cry out until she finds them. These babies snuggle under their mothers’ wings for comfort and shelter throughout the day and sleep under them at night.
Food Theory: STOP Eating Thanksgiving Turkey!
FAQ
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