Cage free isn’t good enough for livestock, ‘The Modern Savage’ argues
Even on a small farm, life can be brutal for animals, historian says
By Beth Mole
The Modern Savage
James McWilliams
Thomas Dunne Books, $25.99
In today’s zeitgeist, “factory farm” has become a profanity. For many consumers, the phrase conjures animal cruelty, with livestock crammed into pens and cages, barred from fresh air and sunlight and given feed loaded with drugs.
In revolt, many conscientious meat-eaters have adopted the mantra “know your food.” The goal of this movement is to eat animals that have been treated humanely — given a “good life” — before their slaughter. Such livestock get a more “natural” upbringing, free to roam small-scale farms or get individual attention in backyard pens. But are “organic” and “cage free” products really better than industrial alternatives?