Swapping meat animals with someone else

[Cabinchick]

Hi

My husband and I are in the process of purchasing some property to raise a couple head of cattle, a pig or two and plenty of chickens. I went to the local fair today to the livestock auction and observed several young girls - and several moms - crying as their livestock was auctioned off to butcher.

Bottom line: I don't know that I can eat an animal I raised. I know the logic - the animal is producing meat for us and we should appreciate it and give it a great life while it is alive. I get it. But I just don't think I cant EAT it

My question is: Do folks ever swap home raised animals for processing? In other words, I can eat my neighbors beef, because I don't have any attachment to it, and he could eat mine.

Ever heard of such a thing?

 

[PattySh]

Never heard of anyone doing that. I want to know what is going into the animal I am eating one of the main reasons for "growing our own". The first couple of animals are the hardest. There is nothing more delicious than home grown meat tho so it it worth it. Make sure you are not raising and eating everything, get yourself some "pet" livestock and it will make it a bit easier!

 

[jodief100]

I believe that if you do not feel some sense of sorrow when you butcher your own animals you have no heart.

That being said, I raise and eat my own livestock. The first few are the hardest. Then you realize that your animals had a much nicer life than any animal raised at a factory farm and sold in the grocery store.

Which is worse: to love an animal and ensure it has a good and happy albeit short life before you eat it or to benefit personally from an animal whose life may have been harsh, unpleasant or downright miserable before it wound up on your table?

I still cant do rabbits.

 

[phoenixmama]

Have you guys processed your own poultry for meat yet? If not, that would likely be a good place to start...to get "used" to the idea of butchering your own animals for the freezer/table.

I agree with PattySh...the whole reason why I like to raise meat animals is that I know what they've been fed, what goes into their bodies, how they are treated, etc. If I'm taking someone else's animal...it pretty much throws all those benefits out the window and at that point I might as well buy the cheap, crappy meat at the grocery store.

Anyway...if you haven't done chickens or turkeys...maybe that would be a good place to start (and to get your kids used to the idea). You see, I currently have 28 chickens...but I only have 1 pet chicken.

Edited to add: Look at it this way...it's a wonderful learning experience for your children (I'm making the ASSumption that you have children). It's a great thing teaching them that meat doesn't come out of styrofoam packages at the grocery store. We should thoughtfully kill an animal for food. It's something that is to be respected in my house. The first time we killed a chicken for the dinner table...I talked to my kids about it. I told them that God provided us with plants and animals for consumption and nutrition...and that we nurture them while they are alive, respect them while they are killed and processed, and appreciate them when they nurture our bodies. I think that killing and processing your own animals is among the most ethical ways to go about eating animals. JMO.

 

[carolinagirl]

I agree with everyone. I have a hard time not getting attached. I don't name the ones that will be eaten and I try to not pet them (too much anyway). I can't kill them but I can help dress them and butcher them once my hubby does the actual killing part. I like that my animals live a healthy happy life here, even though it's short. I like that I am not contributing to the often inhumane treatment of commercial meat animals. And I like that meat from my animals is healthy for my family. I would only swap meat with a neighbor if I knew their farming practices and animal treatment was the same as mine. That would be terribly hard to find.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I was one of those 4-H kids selling animals in the auction every fall. The only time I cried was when I sold a goat (first and last meat goat I raised for 4-H) and it was going to a pet home! I raised many lambs and never cried over them. I also don't get that sad now about processing poultry. I get a little sad when I send lambs to the butcher, but when you're telling yourself an animal is for meat the whole time you're raising it, it isnt' as hard as you might think to actually process it. Yes, you get sad, but you don't stay sad for long. The animal had a lot of really good days and only one bad day. That's better than all of the commercially raised meat animals have it.

 

[Royd Wood]

Discoverlivestock - you might reply to me in a year or two when you have tried some of your well cared for product. You say you understand the logic so just take pride in all your hard work and dont eat your neighbour's swap. Brought up with it so never a prob for me and I'm sure you will change your mind - Good luck and avoid those sick calves at the sale barn

 

[PattySh]

We have home processed chickens, turkeys, rabbits, guineas, goats and steers. I know from day one which ones will be food and try to keep a certain distance emotionally. Right now I am chasing my steer who keeps getting loose and his name is Red but hamburger sounds better about now! If you ever get a chance to watch a show on how animals are processed large scale, you will want to eat your own!

 

[redtailgal]

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[elevan]

On our farm we 'name' them only something that reminds us each time we say it of what they will become. For example our calf is named T-Bones and my DH is looking forward to having a big t-bone from him.

Each person has their own method to cope with the issue of raising livestock and then eating them...you just have to find what will work for you.

And yes, the first few will be hard.