Modern factory farm production requires assembly line breeds, animals that are almost “man-made.” Too many small farmers raise the same animals because they have become “normal.” White chickens and white turkeys, Yorkshire pigs and Holstein cows, only these breeds are so hybridized they probably share little in common with their ancestry.
The purpose of these “normal” breeds is to stack lots of cheap meat on supermarket shelves. But if you studied out what was in that cheap meat, you might not call it food, or at least, stuff you’d never threaten your body with. The interesting thing is this whole factory farm system is supposedly set up to increase “profit.”
I thought I might involve my children with raising animals for showing in the local fair. Here in Texas, some children graduate from school with a very large sum of money in their bank accounts obtained by showing animals at the county fair.
Then I saw some chickens raised by friends who did have those large bank accounts. The judge handled the chickens carefully and talked about what qualities of body shape and size he was looking for. When he set the birds down, they fell over. They could not walk! If you set them on their backs, they would probably just stay there. They were pathetic. When we heard how continual force-feeding had made them winners, I did not want my children to think this was a way to “profit” from animals.
Many rare and unusual breeds of farm animals possess qualities of great value other than shoveling the fattest, cheapest chunk of meat onto someone’s plate. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy is a great place to learn more. For instance, check out the Buckeye chickens. These are large, meaty birds that are “very cold-weather hardy.” I know from personal experience that white chickens die like flies in the cold. Buckeyes could be well worth trying if you live in colder climates and love to watch your chickens roam as much as possible.
There are many valuable qualities heritage breeds have retained that the modern factory breeds have lost. Ease of reproduction, healthier meat, better flavor, all these are “profitable” elements. Not needing a vet, or even yourself, every time your cows give birth is a valuable characteristic, for instance.
There are a number of farmers who do keep these rare breeds from an altruistic view, some work as non-profits. I applaud their efforts. But I am convinced that a simple and good life is a life of profit and increase. The more that a farmer profits from the valuable characteristics of rare and unusual breeds – on a small, simple-life scale, the greater the chance that many of these wonderful breeds of farm animals can be preserved.