Animal Cruelty...

[ChefChiTown]

Life on the farm isn't what it used to be. The green pastures and idyllic barnyard scenes portrayed in children's books have been replaced by windowless sheds, tiny crates, wire cages, and other confinement systems integral to what is now known as "factory farming."

http://www.chooseveg.com/animal-cruelty.asp

WARNING: The video link above could be disturbing to some.

Ok, as a chef, I have to say that what this video is portraying does happen, but not neeeeearly as much as they make it seem. They've just taken footage from some of the very, very, very few slaughterhouses and farms that are scummy enough to actually do this. Most farms and slaughterhouses are nothing even close to what is shown in the video.

Today the majority of farmed animals are:

- denied veterinary care

Not true.

- and finally slaughtered -- often while fully conscious

Not true.

"Everytime we sit down to eat we make a choice. Please choose vegetarianism. Do it for the animals, do it for the environment and do it for your health."

The "environment" is hurt more by growth of fruits, vegetables and grain. The amount of pesticides and chemicals, not to mention other biology altering products that seep into the soil is outrageous.

Our health? People have to eat meat in order to have proper nutrition. We need certain proteins that only exist in animal meat.

FYI - I don't condone animal cruelty and I am not trying to insult the vegetarian lifestyle. I am just tired of all these anti-meat eating groups and animal rights groups trying to make it seem like eating meat (which we've been doing for millions and millions of years) is a sin and makes you a bad person for doing so.

Just because I enjoy a cheeseburger every now and then, it doesn't mean that I don't like animals, it doesn't mean that I am hurting them and it certainly doesn't mean that I'm supporting animal abusers.

I am EATING A FUCKING CHEESEBURGER and that's it.

 

[23lebron23]

Agree with everything you said

Just because im not vegitarian does not mean i hte animals.

 

[Legzman]

Is this a pull for vegetarians? Or what? All I know is I LOVE steak. If the cows have to suffer for me to eat an nice juicy steak...then so be it!

 

[mongo18]

Of course meatatarians love animals. I love pork, beef, venison and all the other animals. Vegetarianism to me is just like any other life choice like religion, sexual preference, etc. I don't give a shit what you do, I just don't want to hear about it.

 

[Paraniod]

Yeah factory farming is bad, but it makes food cheaper, and if you can get a Turkey for example for £2 or whatever the american equivilant is, poor families will buy it because they cannot afford Free Range Turkeys etc. And people can continue to tell all of us how bad factory farming is but so long as poor people can continue to shop for meat and get it at a low price then it going to continue.

I dont blame the farmers for doing it, there trying to sell a product that of which they do not make that much money off of in the first place and I dont blame the consumers, if thats all they can afford then thats what they are going to have to buy. I blame the corporations who sell these meats, as long as they continue to try to slash prices to try to outdo their competitors then they are leaving the farmers no choice other than to resort to this kind of farming. Im sure most good farmers would not want to continue on like this they would want their livestock to be treated well and to live in a good environment, but they are being paid by Tesco, ASDA (UKs Wall Mart opporation), etc to farm these animals and at the cheapest price they can possibly get.

That video is digusting but it has not put me off eating meat.

 

[member979979]

Have any of you seen that show on Animal Planet called "Animal Cops" or "Animal Precinct"?

I'll just say this about the show, there are some sick-fucked up human beings out there!

 

[Torre82]

Meat is murder. Tasty, yummy murder.

I watched all of that video and the whole time never once did I question my desire to down some of those bastids while they're cut up, cooked and served.

"If nature had not intended us to eat these animals, they wouldnt be made entirely OF FOOOOODDD!!"

::smacks the PETA for overstepping their bounds:: Humane treatment sure, it's just an extra step in the chain here or there. But unnecessary since they're going to die anyway.

 

[Mr. Daystar]

While I'm sure some farms, and/or farming methods are questionable to say the least, I don't really consider it cruelty. Now some of these cocksuckers out there, that do fucked up shit to puppies, and crap like that...I'd love to get my hands on one of those spineless little turds, because I don't think they know just how bad they can really hurt. As far as my eating habits, I could never give up beef, or pork. I love veal, my wife won't make it for me, because of her ethical point of view, but won't give me grief if I order it in a restaurant. When ever a vegetarian gives me shit about eating animals, I always look at them and say, just because that carrot doesn't have a mouth to scream, doesn't mean it didn't feel any pain when you ripped him out of the ground.

 

[Friday on my mind]

Humans and animals are not to be valued as equals.I'm for saving the enviorment and preventing extinction of animals because its an enviorment we need to survive and you can not let major portions of it change and die off without there being effects on human survival at some point.I'm all for eating meat from animals bred for it or even ones hunted for it in the wild as long as the survival of the species is not at risk.And I find all this anquish over animals except for as I mentioned when it is just an indication we are destroying the enviorment we need to live in as misguided.Lotta worse more important things happening then cruelty to puppies lol and don't want my tax dollars used to incarcerate people who watch cock fights ,dog fights whatever thank you very much.

 

[Becks...poamr]

I must agree with what has been posted before I got here.

 

[LBP 76]

I agree with most of the posts here, generally.

However; I love meat, but I don't believe in eating something that I am not prepared to kill, dress and cook myself. And unless I am starving to death I could not do that to a cow. So I try and stay away from beef. Pork to a lesser extent. Chicken/turkey to a much lesser extent. And fish almost not at all (meaning I don't hesitate to eat fish because I would have little 'emotional' trouble killing/preparing it).
But that's me.

 

[ChefChiTown]

I agree with most of the posts here, generally.

However; I love meat, but I don't believe in eating something that I am not prepared to kill, dress and cook myself. And unless I am starving to death I could not do that to a cow. So I try and stay away from beef. Pork to a lesser extent. Chicken/turkey to a much lesser extent. And fish almost not at all (meaning I don't hesitate to eat fish because I would have little 'emotional' trouble killing/preparing it).
But that's me.

You are soooooo missing out.

 

[LBP 76]

You are soooooo missing out.

I said I 'try and...', not I 'always do and...'. I am human.
But I 'do' follow the policy far and away most of the time.

 

[zell]

http://www.chooseveg.com/animal-cruelty.asp


Our health? People have to eat meat in order to have proper nutrition. We need certain proteins that only exist in animal meat.

That's not true,people don't "have" to eat meat.There are other sources of protein that are readily available,just ask any vegetarian body builder (yes,they do exist).

I am a meat eater,mostly chicken,not so much beef.Butchering has been a way of life for thousands of years in one form or another and it isn't going to stop anytime soon,but as far as cruelty goes,I really can't stand people who find pleasure out of hurting animals.Butchering for sustenance is one thing but hunting for sport or just plain 'ol mistreatment or cruelty really pisses me off.

 

[LBP 76]

That's not true,people don't "have" to eat meat.There are other sources of protein that are readily available,just ask any vegetarian body builder (yes,they do exist).

I agree. There are a couple vitamins (iron and B-12) that we could use that are more difficult to get naturally without eating meat. But one daily over-the-counter multi-vitamin more then provides enough of them.

 

[ChefChiTown]

That's not true,people don't "have" to eat meat.There are other sources of protein that are readily available,just ask any vegetarian body builder (yes,they do exist).

Yes, you don't literally "have" to eat meat in order to survive. If you never eat meat it's not like you're going to die in a month. But, in order to properly nutrition your body, you have to eat meat. There are qualities in animal proteins that can't be matched by fruits, vegetables or grains, no matter how much you consume.

To understand the concept of protein quality, you need to recall that 9 of the 20 amino acids either can't be made in the body or can't be made in sufficient quantities. Food proteins that provide all the essential amino acids in the proportions need by the body are called high-quality proteins, or complete proteins. Examples of complete proteins include the animal proteins, such as meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk and other dairy products.

An essential amino acid in lowest concentration in a protein is referred to as a limiting amino acid because it limits the protein's usefulness unless another food in the diet contains it. Lower-quality protein, or incomplete protein, contains at least one limiting amino acid. Plant proteins, including dried beans and peas, grains, vegetables, nuts and seeds are incomplete. Although plant proteins are incomplete, they are not low-quality. Still, the human body needs complete proteins, which are found only in animal products, in order to maintain a proper balance of nutrients.

I couldn't think of a good way to explain it, so I just quoted that straight from Nutrition for Foodservice and Culinary Professionals, Sixth Edition, the nutrition book we had to use in culinary school.

 

[Psychology]

I love meat and I have no pets (because I'd hate cleaning up behind animals). I'm 100% apathetic about this here subject.

Why did I post in this topic? I have no idea.

 

[Elwood70]

Goddammit,now I'm fuckin' hungry.....

 

[Violator79]

I have no problem eating meat as long as I don't know the animal I'm eating personally.

 

[YMIHERE]

The law of the jungle is If it moves you can eat it