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Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:38 am  |
| DarkMoon wrote: |
Under Ethical Eating:
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashrut?wasRedirected=true
Animal welfare
Kashrut prohibits slaughter of an unconscious animal. Kosher slaughter, shechita, involves cutting the trachea and esophagus with a sharp, flawless knife. At the same time, the carotid arteries, which are the primary supplier of blood to the brain, are severed. The profound loss of blood and the massive drop in blood pressure render the animal insensate almost immediately. Studies done by Dr. H. H. Dukes at the Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine indicate that the animal is unconscious within seconds of the incision.[49] According to Rabbi Barry Dov Lerner, "... kosher slaughtering is the way that Jews try to minimize the pain and fear felt by animals being killed for food."[50]
In 1978, a study incorporating EEG (electroencephalograph) with electrodes surgically implanted on the skull of 17 sheep and 15 calves, and conducted by Wilhelm Schulze et al. at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Germany concluded that "the slaughter in the form of a ritual cut is, if carried out properly, painless in sheep and calves according to EEG recordings and the missing defensive actions" (of the animals), but that when Captive Bolt Stunning (CBS) was used, which is common in normal (non-kosher) slaughtering,[51] "For sheep, there were in part severe reactions both in bloodletting cut and the pain stimuli." |
That's really interesting to read, DM.
I'm neither a vegetarian or a vegan (due to a severe type of colitis I suffered years ago, my diet is extremely restricted whenever I have a flare-up, so would be unable to survive on only a few carrots, peas and a tiny piece of well-toasted thin white bread), but I do care very much about the way in which the animals whose flesh I eat are treated.
I always buy my meat from a local farm, where I can actually see them in the fields and know that they are properly fed and cared for. I also know that their journey to the abbatoir is a very short one - rather than across country or from abroad, as is often the case.
However, what happens in abattoirs does worry me. I hope and trust that my local slaughterhouse carries out their work in as professional and humane manner as possible, but I can't obviously guarantee that, since I've never seen them work.
There's a big outcry at the moment here in the UK about almost all of the meat supplied to supermarkets and many other restaurants now being Halal in order to make it suitable for Muslims. I felt very strongly against this, for humane reasons rather than religious ones but, if that information is true, then I might change my mind on my former stance.
Of course, it all depends on the person carrying out the slaughter as to whether it is done properly. So I'm still very much in favour of secret filming inside animal slaughter and the awful mass animal "production" facilities. Any malicious cruelty, negligence or incompetence should be brought to light and stamped out. |
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Fri Oct 15, 2010 2:34 am |
liz - Do be careful, though, with fake fur these days. As I wrote earlier, Chinese fur producers are trying to pass off real fur as fake - since they produce it so cheaply. I'd never buy real fur and so am checking any potential fake fur purchase extremely carefully now, just in case.
DM - Your son has my utmost sympathy! They originally thought I had ulcerative colitis, but they never managed to diagnose it with absolute certainty and thought it was sparked off by a bout of severe food poisoning. Thankfully, it has calmed down a lot over the years, but vegetables are definitely not my best friend any more! |
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