There's More to This Hobby than Meets the Eye

A recent article from NBC News, and shared through Meatingplace.com, brings to light an unfortunate outcome of the “locavore” movement: abandoned chickens.  (See http://www.nbcnews.com/health/backyard-chickens-dumped-shelters-when-hipsters-cant-cope-critics-say-6C10533508 for the full story.)  In an attempt to bring the source of food closer to home, many people with good intentions but little information have established flocks in urban settings without considering the consequences.  While raising chickens, ducks, and other poultry can be a great experience, it must be undertaken with a realistic, and not idealistic, attitude.  While my previous posts on Meat Salads have referenced many other sources, I would like to speak from experience of raising poultry in my younger days.  If you are considering starting a flock of your own, I hope my advice will either influence your decisions in how to care for your birds, or sway you to adopt guinea pigs rather than geese.  Here are some issues to consider:

1)      Bird Type

The term “poultry” can cover a wide range of species and breeds of birds, and extensive research should precede bringing birds home.  Don’t just pounce on the cutest chicks or ducklings that show up in feed stores in the spring.  Do you want to raise broilers for meat or layers for eggs, bantams for competition or peacocks for aesthetics?   While “commercial” breeds such as Cornish-Rocks (as broilers) and White Leghorns (as layers) might make for a bland flock with their white feathers and single combs, they are extremely efficient and give the most bang for their cluck.  Other breeds of chickens, as well as ducks, geese, etc., vary widely in meat-producing and egg-laying abilities, ranging from fair to excellent, so research is definitely a requirement in this regard.  For example, if you are interested in brown eggs, Rhode Island Red hens are a good choice, but make sure you specify for all female chicks from a hatchery; the male Rhode Island Reds can be vicious.  This ties into how temperaments should also be considered: while some breeds are known for docility, others, especially those originally bred for cockfighting, can be downright mean.  The African goose I raised was very possessive of our ducks, and went into “crazy mama mood” whenever I tried to get near them.  That being said, knowing how species and sexes interact will also help you decide the makeup of your flock.

2)      Input and Output

Like all domesticated animals, poultry rely on humans for their basic needs, so you must be up to the task.  Can you afford or construct a chicken coop that will keep out the elements and predators?  Where will you buy feed and equipment such as waterers, feeders, and nest boxes?  Is an outside water spigot handy to keep your birds easily and reliably hydrated?  Does your schedule allow for regular and sincere (not slapdash) care?  Do you know a local veterinarian that has practice with treating poultry?  If you do fulfill all these requirements, you can have a happy, productive flock that gives you more than eggs, meat, and charm.  Neighbors may not appreciate the pile of soiled bedding and excreta growing in your backyard, so a plan for properly disposing these must be established.  Noise is also a concern.  While roosters may crow heartily, hens can also squawk quite loudly, and geese are notoriously cacophonous.  Don’t even get me started on the ruckus guinea hens make.  Also, the odors that poultry generate can be quite strong, and if adequate ventilation does not spare your neighbors from them, conflicts may ensue.

3)      Bye-bye, Birdie

In the NBC News article mentioned above, many layers are abandoned when novice owners make the shocking realization that hens live way beyond their egg-laying years.  However, though not specified as “meat birds,” retired laying hens can still contribute to mealtime.  Our old layers were butchered at the same local facility that processed our broilers and made excellent chicken noodle soup.  Knowing where to send birds for humane, sanitary butchering and packaging is essential, as I can hardly imagine many neighborhoods and cities condoning at-home butchering in the backyard.  If you make the choice to remove poultry from your home but they are not suitable for consumption, where will you send them?  When my family moved from our hobby farm, we brought our birds to a legitimate poultry and small animal auction.  Events such as these are much more well-suited than local animal shelters for taking in poultry.  Knowing where poultry enthusiasts gather to bring home new birds will help ensure your flock’s health in case you can no longer care for them.

                Raising your own poultry can be very rewarding, but it comes with responsibilities.  Don’t forget that poultry are not just feathered lawn ornaments: they need care and protection just like any other pet or livestock.  Poultry species and breeds cover a wide gamut of sizes, shapes, temperaments, and purposes, and you should only raise the ones that fit your abilities and needs and interact well together.  Have a plan for the end of your birds’ lives, and whether they are destined to be a winner or a dinner, fill their days with proper care. And of course, make sure your endeavors fit within the statutes in place wherever you live.

If you’d like to learn more about raising birds in an urban environment, check out this resource from the American Poultry Association: http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/Raising_birds_city.htm

B12: Of Beef and Bacteria

Just as hamburgers, steaks, chicken wings, pork chops, and other meat products bring unique flavors and aromas to the dinner table, they provide many components necessary for human health.  In fact, meat and other animal products provide some nutrients not found in other foods.  Among those is cyanocobalamin, more commonly known as vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 is produced by microorganisms that can be found in the environment and inside animals.  Those inside animals make the vitamin in the intestine, and the vitamin can then travel to other organs, muscles, and products (milk and eggs) which can then be incorporated in the human diet (Vitamin B12, n.d.).  Beef liver and clams are the best sources of the vitamin, followed by fish, poultry, meat, milk, eggs, and other dairy products (Office of Dietary Supplements [ODS], 2011).  Red meat is a particularly affordable and diversifiable source of B12.  For example, a single 100 g serving of red meat (such as a 3.5 oz. hamburger patty) can provide 66% of an adult’s daily need for the vitamin (McAfee et al., 2010).  If an insufficient level of vitamin B12 is maintained, weakness, weight loss, tiredness, confusion, loss of appetite, and other health problems may develop (ODS, 2011).  However, though some people may consume enough of the vitamin B12 through their diet, they may not be able to use it.  Vitamin B12 must first be separated from its bound protein and then affiliate with an “intrinsic factor” in the stomach before being absorbed (Vitamin B12, n.d.).  When dietary vitamin B12 cannot be utilized, a supplement is necessary to avoid a deficiency.

According to the National Institute of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements, the amount of vitamin B12 people need to consume each day varies by age but is essential during all stages of life, as shown in Table 1 (2011).  Problems with metabolism, red blood cell formation, and nervous system performance can result from a vitamin B12 deficiency, and the best way to ensure adequate vitamin B12 levels is to incorporate a variety of animal products into the diet (New York Times, 2011). 

Table 1: Daily recommended amount of vitamin B12 in micrograms (mcg).  The daily recommended amounts increase due to age or special conditions such as pregnancy or lactation (ODS, 2011).

Life Stage	Recommended Amount
Birth to 6 months	0.4 mcg
Infants 7–12 months	0.5 mcg
Children 1–3 years	0.9 mcg
Children 4–8 years	1.2 mcg
Children 9–13 years	1.8 mcg
Teens 14–18 years	2.4 mcg
Adults	2.4 mcg
Pregnant teens and women	2.6 mcg
Breastfeeding teens and women	2.8 mcg

While adults can endure a vitamin B12 deficiency for several years before showing its symptoms, newborns can show its effects soon after birth (Dror & Allen, 2008).  In a healthy pregnant woman, vitamin B12 will travel to the placenta and then to the growing child (Vitamin B12, n.d.).  If the mother, unable to absorb the vitamin or, by choice or not, lacking vitamin B12 in her diet, maintains a low level of this vitamin before and during pregnancy, her unborn child will not receive enough of the vitamin (Dror & Allen, 2008).  In a study by Majchrzak and colleagues (2006) comparing B-vitamin levels in people with different diets, omnivores possessed adequate levels of vitamin B12 whereas vegetarians and vegans displayed inadequacies of the vitamin.  It could then be conjectured that pregnant women eating a balanced diet that includes meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy are much more likely to deliver enough B12 to their unborn children than women avoiding these foods.  Being unable to absorb vitamin B12, not having access to animal products, or choosing not to consumer animal products can cause irritability, failure to thrive, poor development, and apathy in newborns if the mother does not receive a vitamin B12 supplement.

In conclusion, people who enjoy a variety of protein sources including red meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy and effectively absorb and use these food’ nutrients can avoid multitudes of deficiencies, especially that of vitamin B12.  Those who cannot absorb the vitamin, cannot obtain animal products, or choose not to consume animal products need to receive a vitamin B12 supplement to avoid a deficiency.  As for me, I am happy to obtain my vitamin B12 from a bacon-topped turkey burger or ham and cheese omelet rather than the encapsulated products of a bacteria culture. 

References

Dror, D.K., Allen, L.H.  (2008).  Effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on neurodevelopment in infants: current knowledge and possible mechanisms.  Nutrition Reviews 66(5), 250-255. DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00031.x

Majchrak, D., Singer, I., Maenner, M., Rust, P., Genser, D., Wagner, K.H., Elmadfa, I.  (2006).  B-vitamin status and concentrations of homocysteine in Austrian omnivores, vegetarians and vegans.  Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism 50(6), 485-491. DOI: 10.1159/000095828

McAfee, A.J., McSorley, E.M., Cuskelly, G.J., Moss, B.W., Wallace, J.M.W., Bonham, M.P, Fearon, A.M.  (2010).  Red meat consumption: An overview of the risks and benefits.  Meat Science 84(1), 1-13.

New York Times (2011, February 15).  Vitamin B12.  Retrieved from http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/vitamin-b12.

Office of Dietary Supplements (2011, June 24).  Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin B12.  Retrieved from http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminB12-QuickFacts/.

Vitamin B12 – Compound Summary. (n.d.)  In PubChem Compound.  Retrieved from http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=16212801&loc=ec_rcs

Meaty Mondays

   The phrase “Meatless Monday” is spreading through social and news media lately, and rather than remaining a personal preference is creeping into legislation.  Recently, the San Diego Unified School District Board voted to bring Meatless Mondays to its elementary school lunchrooms.  One board trustee reportedly said the board’s job “is to improve our students’ prospects for a healthy, happy and successful life.  …Learning how to make good food choices is an essential component” (CBS 8, 2013).  However, whether children experiencing at least one meat-free school lunch will establish and enforce healthy ideas about food and nutrition remains uncertain.  And is this fear-mongering about meat actually inspired by hard evidence that meat is “bad” for human health?  Let’s take a closer look at the value of meat in a well-balanced diet.

   In the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, Americans are encouraged to embrace three major ideas concerning their health: 

1)      Balance calories with physical activity to manage weight. 

2)      Consume more of certain foods and nutrients such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood. 

3)      Consume fewer foods with sodium (salt), saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, and refined grains. (USDA and USDHHS, 2010)

   Nowhere within the Guidelines is “Meatless Monday” found, and, in fact, “seafood, lean meats and poultry” are mentioned among the nutrient-dense foods Americans are encouraged to eat.  Protein sources are suggested to be varied, and may come in the form of “seafood, lean meat and poultry, eggs, beans and peas, soy products, and unsalted nuts and seeds” (USDA and USDHHS, 2010).  However, protein sources vary in the nutrients they contain.  While some may be high in protein, they might also be high in fat, sugar, or sodium.  The following table presents the nutrient data of several entrees that may be served for lunch at elementary schools.  All data are from the “What’s In the Foods You Eat Search Tool” powered by the USDA Agricultural Research Service (USDA, 2013).  All entrees highlighted yellow may be served for Meatless Mondays as long as fish and eggs are not considered “meat.”

Food	Calories	Protein (g)	Total Fat (g)	Carbohydrate (g)	Sugars (g)	Iron (mg)	Sodium (mg)
3.5 oz hamburger patty	180	14	13.32	0	0	1.48	47
3 oz. skinless chicken breast, roasted, broiled, or baked	119	22.35	2.83	0	0	0.36	466
4 chicken nuggets	189	9.56	12	11	0.57	0.56	383
1 cup beef stew with potatoes and vegetables, tomato-based sauce	207	16.68	5.85	21.5	2.49	2.49	554
Low-fat beef hot dog, no bun	134	7.28	11.22	0.97	0	0.7	600
Vegetarian burger/patty; no bun	124	11	4.41	10	0.75	1.69	398
Grilled cheese sandwich	282	9.45	14.64	28.04	4.31	2.12	669
2.5" x 4" slice meatless lasagna	334	17.62	10	43.56	6.74	2.72	804
Fish sandwich, on bun, with spread	360	13.16	13.48	45.54	6	2.73	675
1 cup black bean soup	114	6	1.63	19.04	3.06	1.85	1203
1 cup red beans and rice	284	7.8	11.16	38.57	3	2.26	645
1 enchilada with beans and cheese	231	9.05	11.53	24.44	2.58	1.53	379
2 scrambled eggs	159	13.65	10.16	2.22	1.94	1.77	313
Tuna salad sandwich	290	19.67	7.06	36.52	8.57	3.01	686
Peanut butter sandwich	337	12.95	16.14	37.4	5.88	2.86	447

   
   From these comparisons, we see that protein sources contribute different levels of fat, protein, carbohydrate, iron, and other nutrients to the human diet.  Despite its negative reputation as a processed meat, the low-fat beef hot dog contains half the amount of sodium as a cup of black bean soup.  Beef stew trumps a bean and cheese enchilada for protein and iron levels.  And the classic hamburger patty has fewer calories, more protein, and less fat than a grilled cheese sandwich.  Granted, the nutrient data presented here may be improved by using whole grain bread for sandwiches and including vegetables in the scrambled eggs, but the point is to show how a lack of meat does not necessarily make a food the better choice for human health. 

   Children are impressionable.  Hearing the phrase “Meatless Monday” may prompt them to see meat as something to be avoided instead of incorporated into a well-balanced diet.  Why not teach children, and adults, more about meat composition rather than generalize meat as “a bad thing”?  Meats come from many animals, are cut or processed in a multitude of ways, and can be cooked and prepared through limitless means.  Perhaps instead of unjustly blaming meat as the root for so many health concerns, we can concentrate on what really affects health: overloads of saturated fats and sodium, and deficiencies of vitamins and fiber, for examples. “High Fiber Friday” may not have the same ring as “Meatless Monday,” but the focus on nutrients is more beneficial than the exclusion of an entire food group.

References

CBS 8.  (2013, June 5).  San Diego school board approves “Meatless Monday” lunches.  Retrieved from http://www.cbs8.com/story/22504828/san-diego-school-board-approves-meatless-monday-lunches.

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.  (2010, December).  Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010, 7^th Edition.  Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.  (2013, May).  What’s in the Foods You Eat Search Tool, 5.0.  Retrieved from http://reedir.arsnet.usda.gov/codesearchwebapp/(nypr1cqxfmt1zf45anr2sm55)/codesearch.aspx.