https://community.hsus.org/campaign/CA_2008_investigation/kkis75ra7jw7i56?

I have heard some wisdom from older dairymen that makes sense to me. When you separate animal husbandry from animal slaughter these things happen more easily. If you have raised and cared for an animal, you have more respect for it and it is more likely to be treated well in life and in slaughter. I don’t know how we can change this system to reflect that wisdom. It would be nice if we could.

The aftereffects of Nixon and Republican party farm policy.

A corporation is made up of people, but it is a completely different organism. Its sole purpose is to make a profit, and it has no morality outside of this one rule. In order to effect favorable policy, its lobbyists make contributions to candidates who support non-binding “voluntary” laws and regulations.

The myth of government intervention being unnecessary when the industry can “regulate itself” is a result of the foxes buying the henhouse.

The only way to effect meaningful change is to challenge these well-heeled hooligans and call them out and expose their obfuscation and misdirection.

However, we in the animal business must remember the same thing that doctors do – the concept that those in the know have a higher level of responsiblity than the general public because we have had years of training that most people have not.

The burden of treating an animal humanely falls on those working directly with the animal – not the public who are just trying to grab dinner and go home.

Yes the public should support humane practices, but it’s not widespread enough yet that it is easy for people to find. It’s the people in the meat and restaurant industry who control the prices, practices and how the animal is treated. It’s up to them to make the right choice.

Congrats for being certified humane – obviously you made the right choice.

good grief..grow up!

Let’s stop demonizing the visible problem and look further upstream. Other than the accident scenario, why was the cow allowed to deteriorate to the condition it was shipped in? Because of a cheap food policy and the desire to get a few more cwt of milk out of the poor beast so that the high price of cattle, land, feed and operating money can be recouped? Greed? Whose greed, the farmers, or the people who clamor for a cheap food policy and the politicians who placate them? Until we as consumers demand and pay for high quality food and support/vote with our money & time, local sustainable agriculture; cheap foods must be produced as economically as possible. This includes feed yards, mega dairies, slaughterhouses that process 10,000 head of cattle or hogs daily, and terminals and trucks to disperse the products nationwide.

When we look for the culprit, maybe we should look in the mirror. Or maybe not. I expect the readers of this blog are more virtuous then the average consumer, but we can all do better. My farm is certified humane, all natural, sustainable and meets all regulations that we know of. We sell directly to the consumer and feed 100’s of families. It can be done. Only we can fix the problems we allowed to exist. Bemoaning the industry and its inherent problems, while perpetuating the trends that fathered the industry, is like a dog returning to its vomit.

Since the problems were not created overnight, I suspect the solution will take time also. Still, change begins with us.

“option” being the key word.

Meat is not what want to you eat.

Vegetables,(which I eat at every meal), do not resemble or taste anything like meat: ergo eat only vegetables or starch.

I should not EVER imagine trying to create a Porterhouse Steak to resemble a head of cabbage or broccoli in an effort to get vegetarians to eat it.

I do not suffer Vegan-Jellice-ists lightly.

I say live and let live. To each his own, etc.

Go gently into that good night and/or post some exquisite vegan recipes.

Wilmita

It sounded to me like the major qualification they were going for was that the animals must walk in the slaughter house under their own power, and this was the objective of the mistreatment.

Once it walks through the door, all they had to to was hook it up to a chain, and it looks just as good as any other slab o beef.

We need to start asking questions and educating others and ourselves. I embrace sustainable agriculture and aquaculture. The better you know the source of your product the less likely occurrences such as these will occur.

Hopefully this does not become a tirade for neo-fascist “food police” to stand on a pedestal and rant about why eating greens and grains and vitamin supplements is the best option. Fodder for the masses: Being on the top of food chain means I can enjoy marinated rump steak and French fries as I wish, just know your supplier.

That looks like a downer cow to start with, and putting extra stress on it and driving adrenaline through its body is just wrong all the way around.

Grass or organic grain-fed beef anyone?