The End of a Love Affair

[Sheepshape]

When you say welfare standards, do you mean inspections on the meat?

We have lots of regulations....maybe a few too many. Every animal should be traceable throughout their life, and we have to keep records. Sheep, cows etc. have a tag with your flock number and their individual number in the right ear and an electronic version of this tag in the left. When taken to market, the ear tag is read with a scanner. An 'Animal Movement Licence' has to be filled out for an animal which moves on and off site with a copy going to government. All of this may sound bureaucratic to those who don't have many restrictions, but random carcasses are tested at abattoirs for the presence of antibiotics, wormers etc. to ensure that the animal keeper had observed the 'withdrawal' period for any drugs used. If drugs are found in meat for human consumption, then the keeper can be banned from keeping animals. We have to keep a register for any and all drugs given to animals. These strict controls have tightened since BSE, foot-and-mouth etc.

Animal movement licences have to state when the animal last had access to food and water etc. so that animals are not kept too long on the road.

Animals have to be taken to approved premises (in practice, usually an abattoir) for slaughter.

We are part of the 'Farm Assured' scheme which involves inspection of the premises, drug records etc. and cupboards for drugs have to be locked whilst any poisons have to be stored separately in a lockable container. When the Inspector comes he/she will also want to see some of the livestock and check that they are in good condition and have no obvious diseases....and they may also want to see your dogs, cats etc

Well, the list goes on and on as to to what hoops we have to jump through, but most of the regulations do have a basis in human and animal welfare.

 

[Mike CHS]

I really hope things turn out better for you.

 

[Latestarter]

Well, the list goes on and on as to to what hoops we have to jump through, but most of the regulations do have a basis in human and animal welfare.

The problem is, the govt has gotten so regulation happy that it makes it increasingly difficult and expensive to accomplish the/any intended goals. Couple that with cameras everywhere and every living sole is a conviction waiting to happen. with today's technology, you have virtually no privacy from govt intrusion. wire taps are now a thin as a human hair and can be painted onto your wall. same with cameras and fiber optics... They can be concealed and virtually invisible... Every electronic communication device is monitored by the govt. What I'm typing right now will no doubt be in a govt database before nightfall. cell phones? Every conversation and text/picture you send is watched/seen by the govt. You can get thrown in jail for crossing the street if you aren't in a designated crosswalk, "placed there for your protection", even if there isn't a car in sight.

WTH ever happened to common sense? What happened to personal responsibility? Or accountability? There are way too many power hungry "do gooders" that are in positions of power, "looking out for our personal welfare" FOR us! Grrrrrrr..... rant over. sorry

 

[Baymule]

That would never fly with me, and most likely, many others. I suppose you can't butcher your own meat because you might eat something contaminated or a myriad of other reasons why you need protection from yourself.

Tracing an animal throughout it's lifetime has been bandied about here at various times, but the industrial producers supposedly get a pass on it. So that knocks out the small producers, totally unfair. Paid off corrupt politicians are against the small people and line their pockets from the industrial producers. I hope it never gets passed.

 

[Sheepshape]

WTH ever happened to common sense? What happened to personal responsibility?

Tee Hee.....perish the thought that we should ever be considered as responsible adults who also care about our animals/environment.

I suppose you can't butcher your own meat

Ever wondered why I'm vegetarian? Well, the real reason is that I'm way too concerned for their souls to see them as food. I'm not in the slightest bit squeamish.....I autopsy my sheep if they die suddenly, am delighted with treating nasty wounds etc etc. Hypocrite for keeping farm animals? Maybe.....but their lives here are good and their treatment as kind as it can be. Work with my animals is usually pretty trouble-free as they are easy to handle.

 

[Latestarter]

Ever wondered why I'm vegetarian? Well, the real reason is that I'm way too concerned for their souls to see them as food.

OK... just a Q here and not trying to start a religious discussion/argument/fight... The way you worded that leads me to believe that YOU believe that living things have a soul (Plants are living things too, right?) I would expect that you consider the soul and the body two different things and that the soul resides within the body during life. Hence, I assume you also believe that it (the soul) departs the flesh upon death. That being the case, consuming the flesh after the soul departs would in no way have any detrimental effect on the soul... It's already left.

 

[Baymule]

Plants aren't cute.

 

[Ridgetop]

But they can be beautiful, and can nourish the soul. Of course, some of them are also yummy like . . . .

 

[Sheepshape]

Plants aren't cute.

Some are downright nasty! Those insectivorous ones have a case to answer

Hence, I assume you also believe that it (the soul) departs the flesh upon death

I'm not a very religious person, though I believe there is something better than man. Over here, Elderly Farmers (note the capitals)have a use of language which is rather 'different'. As well as being liberally sprinkled with every swearword known to man, any animal is referred to as 'a life' or as 'a soul'. Therefore a herd of 10 cattle or flock of 10 sheep is described as 10 lives or souls.Hence, sheep auction..."What am I bid for these 10 souls?" I'm not sure that everybody who uses the term 'soul' believes that they have one, but the term is widely used.

Personally I tend to have the pet/owner type of relationship with most of my sheep. I know them by sight, name them, pet them and talk to them (Yes, I'm told I'm what is known as a Saddo). I could no better eat them than eat my old dog (which, of course, would be wholly acceptable in some cultures). Is it that I don't eat anything which is considered to be sentient? Well, no. Most folk don't consider fish to be sentient, but I don't eat them, either. So, I don't eat anything with a face, unless it's a sunflower. My family vary between being vegan and full-on carnivores and many races and religions are represented....thankfully we all accept each others diets, religions and ethnicities.....but catering for a number of them altogether in one place can be a nightmare.
Because of (or maybe in spite of) my lifestyle choices I have a blood pressure and cholesterol in the lowest 10% of the population. Could be genetic, but my mother and (only) sibling are on treatment for high blood pressure and on statins for high cholesterol. Maybe it's the known effect of petting animals of releasing oxytocin (the milk let-down hormone).......No, Don't ask.....I DO NOT feed them other than with a lamb bottle as needed.

So, a bit of a hypocrite? Probably. But the next time I look into those trusting eyes, I'm still going to think "No way can I let you go to market"

 

[Latestarter]

Maybe it's the known effect of petting animals of releasing oxytocin (the milk let-down hormone).......No, Don't ask.....I DO NOT feed them other than with a lamb bottle as needed.

I was NOT even going there... Hey, I'm cool with all of that Was just seeking clarification. A lot of folks do a lot of things that I don't understand and/or differently than me. More power to them! Whatever makes them happy and helps them go forward, I'm all for it with one caveat... It can't interfere with MY (or anyone else's) happiness and my moving forward with my life. So I'm sorry... if murdering someone makes you happy, you'll just have to forego your happiness for everyone else's benefit.