Setting an example is the first step in changing our agricultural communities. Many producers are looking for alternatives to the factory farming model but are limited by the types and numbers of markets available for selling their livestock. Currently most producers have only one place to sell - the commodity livestock market. The only way to change this is to create NEW markets that are driven by consumer demand for ethically raised meat products. For many years TK Ranch has been setting an example for other producers to follow that is sustainable for the land, the animals and the people. This includes calving in the warmer spring and summer months, freeze branding and weaning our calves using low stress methods. For more information please see:
On TK Ranch the most important part of our meat program is animal welfare. Treating an animal with the utmost respect from birth to slaughter is our goal. Considering that an animal sacrifices its life for our nourishment this is the least that we can do. But what does this mean? It means that our animals are raised under the pasture model. Our cattle are born, raised, weaned and fattened on pasture - NEVER in a confinement feedlot. The pigs in our program are raised the same way - the sows farrow outside on pasture with ample shelter and the piglets stay with them for several weeks. Once weaned the hogs are fed out on pasture until ready for slaughter. The lambs in our program are also born, weaned and fattened on pasture until slaughter. The chickens in our program are raised under two models - in the summer they are raised in an uncrowded open air facility with access to several acres of pasture. In the colder months they are raised in a large heated barn in uncrowded conditions.
Say No to Factory Farms - Vote With Your Dollars
The factory farming model that has overtaken the conventional food industry since World War II is very disconcerting. Today's big box store economy is driven by the lowest price - large multi-national corporations dictate what producers are paid for their commodity products (livestock, grain, cotton, etc.) based on international stock prices. To be able to compete internationally many producers feel they have to lower their costs of production per animal unit by switching to confinement factory farming methods - it is cheaper to grow 60,000 chickens in a barn than 20,000 - your costs of production (heating, cleaning, labour, etc) are spread out over more animals. A typical factory "free-range" chicken barn is seen at left. Large feedlots (as seen above right) and pig barns are no different. But what is factory farming doing to our agricultural communities? An excellent website that clearly describes the effect that factory farming is having on our food system and the small family farm is
The Meatrix.
This very educational and entertaining cartoon clip is based on the famous sci-fi movie The Matrix. It follows a young pig's journey from living in a factory pig barn to becoming a freedom fighter against multi-national factory farms. It is definitely worth watching and telling all of your friends about. Ultimately it is up to the consumer to vote with their dollars to change our food system.
On TK Ranch the most important part of our meat program is animal welfare. Treating an animal with the utmost respect from birth to slaughter is our goal. Considering that an animal sacrifices its life for our nourishment this is the least that we can do. But what does this mean? It means that our animals are raised under the pasture model. Our cattle are born, raised, weaned and fattened on pasture - NEVER in a confinement feedlot. The pigs in our program are raised the same way - the sows farrow outside on pasture with ample shelter and the piglets stay with them for several weeks. Once weaned the hogs are fed out on pasture until ready for slaughter. The lambs in our program are also born, weaned and fattened on pasture until slaughter. The chickens in our program are raised under two models - in the summer they are raised in an uncrowded open air facility with access to several acres of pasture. In the colder months they are raised in a large heated barn in uncrowded conditions. 
The factory farming model that has overtaken the conventional food industry since World War II is very disconcerting. Today's big box store economy is driven by the lowest price - large multi-national corporations dictate what producers are paid for their commodity products (livestock, grain, cotton, etc.) based on international stock prices. To be able to compete internationally many producers feel they have to lower their costs of production per animal unit by switching to confinement factory farming methods - it is cheaper to grow 60,000 chickens in a barn than 20,000 - 
your costs of production (heating, cleaning, labour, etc) are spread out over more animals. A typical factory "free-range" chicken barn is seen at left. Large feedlots (as seen above right) and pig barns are no different. But what is factory farming doing to our agricultural communities? An excellent website that clearly describes the effect that factory farming is having on our food system and the small family farm is
It follows a young pig's journey from living in a factory pig barn to becoming a freedom fighter against multi-national factory farms. It is definitely worth watching and telling all of your friends about. Ultimately it is up to the consumer to vote with their dollars to change our food system.
