3 reasons you should raise your own livestock

Meat, milk, and eggs have been popular mainstays of the national diet ever since the days of the pioneers. With a little effort, you will be able to achieve self-sufficiency in some, if not all, of these staples.

To keep pace with the demand for meat and dairy products, farmers have worked to find new ways to make animals grow bigger, gain weight faster and produce more abundantly. But their advances have not been without some drawbacks.

• Animals that are scientifically fed for fast growth simply do not have the flavour of those on a varied diet.
• Medicated feed and growth-stimulating hormones may have some long-term side effects that are as yet unknown.
• In spite of high productivity, meat, milk and eggs are becoming increasingly expensive.

You don't have to remain bound by the limits and costs of mass production.

• If you like animals, have a little extra space (a few square metres/feet is all it takes to raise a few egg-laying hens), and can put in a little time daily, you can have cream-rich milk, fresh eggs every day and full-flavoured, hormone-free meat that you have produced yourself.
• You can also learn to keep costs to a minimum by feeding your animals discarded greens, stalks and bumper crops that would otherwise go to waste or by turning unused land into pasture.

Do not let anyone persuade you that raising animals is particularly easy.

• Feeding and caring for them may take a few minutes only each day, but you can never skip a day.
• Nonetheless, there is an abundance of rewards for your efforts, not the least of which is the satisfaction of watching animals prosper.

If you want to truly know exactly what your family is eating, the best way is to raise the livestock yourself. You can protect your family from chemicals and hormones, while also saving money as food prices continue to rise. If you have the space and the time, why not start your own personal farm?