Guide to Becoming a Vegetarian

The fact of the matter is that if many people saw how many of these animals were raised, they would become vegetarians on the spot. For example, egg-laying chickens are often raised with six to a cage. Each chicken only receives about 67 square inches of space. These chickens are also generally treated with growth hormones as well as antibiotics to increase growth rate and decrease disease. Free-range and certified organic chickens may receive more spacious conditions and are not fed hormones or antibiotics.

This brings us to another point. After you handle chickens it is suggested that you use bleach to clean the surfaces so that you remove bacteria. Also, chicken must be cooked at certain temperatures and for a certain period of time to ensure that you will not catch any food-borne illnesses. It does not seem wise to eat anything that has to be handled with such care.

From chickens, you can easily move into how cattle are treated. First you must consider dairy cattle. Dairy cattle are often given hormones that stimulate their reproductive processes so that it continues to produce milk. A cow will only produce milk after she has given birth. They often live in cramped conditions and as soon as they calve, male calves are sent to become veal while females are raised to produce milk. The hormones that the cows receive cause the cow to produce ten times more milk than they would ordinarily. At the same time, they are hooked up to electric pumps, which cause irritation to the cow’s udders.