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[GlyphGryph]

I'm mostly referring to meat. Farmers had protein-poor diets, which is why medieval peasants were significantly shorter than modern people.

What about meat farmers? Shepherd based groups and the like?

[Rose]

Kill 98% of humans. The remaining can be hunter gatherers.

[Tellemurius]

I'm mostly referring to meat. Farmers had protein-poor diets, which is why medieval peasants were significantly shorter than modern people.

What about meat farmers? Shepherd based groups and the like?

The animal belongs to the lord/earl of the land as he was "kind" enough to graciously give you the privilege of caring the beast.

[scriver]

1. Not all socities were feudal. Most shepherding or even animal-driving people certainly weren't.

2. It was a lot more complicated than that.

[Willfor]

A herd's ability to replenish its numbers is exponential, and every time you cull a healthy female member of the herd you are reducing its ability to produce further herd members for future consumption. In the same vein, you don't really want to eat an animal that has gotten very sickly -- even though I'm sure it has been done. Also, keeping a large amount of males around will often invite aggression among herd animals over reproductive rights. A shepherd's most valuable commodities were therefore young females, proven mothers and good breeding males.

You ate meat when you 1) had an injury among the herd, 2) had an older female who couldn't give birth any more and whose value had therefore dropped, or 3) you found someone willing to compensate you well enough for losing a productive member of your flock. This is not counting gifts/dowries. This is generally why meat was harder to come by, and often much tougher/gamier.

[scriver]

Or you kept the herd at the highest number sustainable (while still having manpower to keep an eye on them) and could as such cull all the extra younglings you'd get each year together with all of those that grew to old. And, as you say, keeping a lot of males around is trouble, so extra males either got sold off or butchered as well. Meat certainly wasn't an everyday meal like it is today, but it certainly wasn't hard to come by (unless you, one again, lived in big settlements - and don't count rats, cats and dogs as "meat").

You also have to take into account that everywhere possible, people also tended to have a rather fishy diet.

[GlyphGryph]

And one animal could easily feed a family for several weeks, couldn't it?

[Tellemurius]

And one animal could easily feed a family for several weeks, couldn't it?

Technically yes, our ancestors would be able to use up the animal and render the fat, pickle meat, dry meat, use the bones for soup, and skin the animal for clothing or other sorts.

[GlyphGryph]

And when you add in animals that provide valuable supplies even while they are still alive...

Honestly, it seems like the herders had things pretty good comparatively.

[Tellemurius]

And when you add in animals that provide valuable supplies even while they are still alive...

Honestly, it seems like the herders had things pretty good comparatively.

Maybe not, Valuable = raiders, plunderers, thieves, wolves.

[GlyphGryph]

Every primitive approach listed so far had to deal with the first three, and has the equivalent of the last.

[Tellemurius]

Every primitive approach listed so far had to deal with the first three, and has the equivalent of the last.

Aye but animals are targeted more than gold.

[timotheus]

Patrons of this thread, I believe we are getting off topic.

Has anyone heard any new occupy news recently? I confess I haven't come across anything.

[Tellemurius]

Occupy Denver

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/12/occupy-denver-ablaze-as-cops-move-in/1

http://www.9news.com/news/article/236950/339/Occupy-Denver-evicted-tents-set-on-fire

[Il Palazzo]

I hear the hunter-gatherers occupy the pastures.