Although these white-feathered chickens only shared the same color as the famous breed from his past life and were far inferior in other respects, they were already quite an improvement for an era plagued by a lack of meat.
Previously, the number of livestock raised was extremely limited; only wealthy families could afford to eat meat, while commoners certainly had no money for it. On a day-to-day basis, if they wanted a bit of meat, they had to rely on whatever game they could hunt. However, that game was usually gamey, tough, and virtually impossible to swallow. It wasn't until Chu Ying began promoting selected breeds across the Chu State and encouraging farmers to raise them that the situation began to improve.
Under his current promotion, commoners everywhere in the Chu State have started raising chickens and ducks. Furthermore, they have learned a new technique: castrating pigs. By castrating piglets taken from the wild at a very young age, the gamey odor of the meat is greatly reduced, and they grow much faster. Although the scale of these piglets is not yet large enough for widespread farming, even now, ordinary citizens of the Chu State can spend a few dozen wen to buy two catties of chicken to satisfy their cravings, and the price of pork has dropped to around one hundred-plus wen per catty. He believes that in a few years, the common people will be able to enjoy meat in every meal.
Chapter 537