omega-3s, while iron (which can lead
to anaemia and low energy levels if not
consumed in large enough amounts)
can be found in spinach, legumes,
nuts and seeds, dried fruit and grains.
“To help the body absorb the iron, eat
it with a source of vitamin C. This
might be kidney beans in a tomato
sauce or spinach salad with a squeeze
of lemon,” says Parker.
Vegan diets also often require
vitamin B12 supplementation, as plant-
based sources are limited. “Vitamin
B12 is a nutrient found mainly in eggs,
fish and meat, and one that supports
proper cell health, so getting enough in
a vegan diet can be hard. Looking for
foods with vitamin B12 added, such as
soy milk, or taking a supplement might
be an option here,” Parker says.
Choosing ethical meat
FREE RANGE
In Australia, ‘free range’ lacks a
concrete definition. According to
Choice, the closest thing we have
is the federal government’s Model
Codes of Practice for the Welfare of
Livestock, which contains separate
codes for poultry, pigs, cattle and
sheep, plus other animals. Basically,
this code of practice gives a minimum
standards that farmers are asked to
comply with – anything above that is
a plus. Unlike many poultry products,
there are no RSPCA-approved
welfare standards for beef and lamb
production. According to information
on the RSPCA knowledge base,
“The production of beef cattle is an
extensive industry and is generally not
associated with the welfare concerns
related to the behavioural restriction
of animals in intense confinement,
such as layer hens in cages, sows
in sow stalls, and meat chickens in
large sheds.” This same clause is used
with regards to the production of
prime lamb.GRASS FED
The connotation of the term ‘grass
fed’ is a good one. We imagine cows
and lambs munching on green grass
in pastures that extend for miles- grazing until they’re fat enough
for the table. Unlike ‘free range’
– this is not so far from the truth.
Cattle grazing areas are extensive
in Australia. In fact, Evans says,
land is being cleared at a rate of 40
rugby fields per hour in order to
accommodate for cattle grazing.
Yikes. In order for beef to be labelled
‘grass fed’, it has to be fed entirely
on a diet foraged from pastures,
which consists of grasses and grain
crops in their vegetative state. Lamb
is a little simpler. “When it comes
to animal welfare, lamb – and its
elder relatives, mutton and hogget - is often the easy choice for the
conscientious carnivore,” says Evans.
Unlike beef, it is easy to rear lambs
on grass all year.
ORGANIC
Organic is the icing on the cake of
ethical farming. Now we’re imagining
happy cows and lambs roaming free,
grazing on vegetation to their heart’s
content AND never being bothered
with the antibiotics, pesticides and
hormones that plague traditional
beef production. But, like free range,
there is no binding definition of
organic in Australia. Instead, there
are several industry bodies that offer
certifications, each with similar
but often still varying standards.
According to Australian Lot Feeders’
Association, throughout the industry,
antibiotics are not used preventatively,
but rather administered in the case
of disease. For organics, stricter
applications for inoculations and
medicine apply, and any animal
that is not completely traceable will
not receive a certification. There
are many arguments for organic
production apart from the lack of
intervention. A recent study by
Newcastle University in the UK has
shown that both organic milk and
meat contain around 50 per cent more
beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than
conventionally produced products.A NOTE
ON FEEDLOTS
Our understanding of feedlots
generally comes from scenes we’ve
seen in American documentaries
such as Cowspiracy – but the
Australian reality is very different.
According to MLA and Australian
Lot Feeders’ Association, feedlot-
fed cattle make up around 35 per
cent of the Australian beef industry;
even then they are only ‘finished’ in
feedlots for around three months
– around 15 per cent of their lives.
In feedlots, cattle are fed a diet of
predominantly grain, and hence are
labelled grain fed.