Are slaughterhouses humane?

The first public slaughterhouse appeared in France at the beginning of the nineteenth century. However, we have been killing and eating animals for over 2.6 million years. Advancements in the American railroad system between the 1870s and the 1930s aided the meat industry's lightning growth.

Our nation eats a lot of pork, chicken, beef, and dairy products. We have over 2,785 slaughterhouses throughout America. Throughout the past few years, many people have questioned how humane the ways people butcher our animals are. Slaughterhouses have been changing their practices to make sure the animals don’t suffer. 

Slaughterhouses do many different methods to butcher animals. One of the many ways they butcher pigs is by using CO2 gas on them.  Carbon dioxide gas is used to induce unconsciousness. As the animal inhales the carbon dioxide gas, its blood oxygen level decreases resulting in a loss of brain function. People can tell when animals haven’t been knocked out since they might move around and/or blink. However, you don’t want to confuse this with postmortem spasms. Sometimes after animals are butchered their muscles can still move due to the memory that muscle has. Slaughterhouses also know the method they use is humane because the federal government does humane audits to make sure animals are treated the best way possible. In the audits, the people teach the butchers how to properly butcher animals and how to handle them. 

One of the biggest myths about slaughterhouses is that the animals cry before they are butchered. When people say animals cry they mean the animal is making loud, high-pitched wailing sounds. However, they only make those sounds when they are scared or grieving. Due to those facts, animals are perfectly fine before being slaughtered if handled humanely.

I believe that slaughterhouses try to butcher animals as humanely as possible and only want the best for their livestock. We nourish our animals when they are alive and after their life, they provide nourishment for us. I raise pigs and every year we bring the barrows to the locker. We always ask how they put the animals to sleep to ensure they are taken care of humanely. I have gone to many lockers around the area and my favorite is Kitt’s locker in Dedham, Iowa.

 

Do you think slaughterhouses are humane? And why?

Do you think there are better ways to butcher animals? 

Have you ever taken an animal to a slaughterhouse?

Sources:

https://www.livekindly.com/how-big-meat-took-over-food-industry/#:~:text=Humans%20have%20been%20eating%20meat,the%20meat%20industry%27s%20rapid%20growth

 

https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/evidence-for-meat-eating-by-early-humans-103874273/#:~:text=The%20first%20major%20evolutionary%20change,least%202.6%20million%20years%20ago

 

https://modernfarmer.com/2013/04/this-is-what-humane-slaughter-looks-like-is-it-good-enough/ 

 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/slaughter-inspection-101 

 

http://www.voogdconsulting.com/animalwelfare.html 

 

https://petkeen.com/do-cows-cry-tears/ 




 

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Replies

  • I appreciate this topic Cheyenne. No on has ever done it before and it isn't something I really know much about and I like it when I get to learn about new topics. Well done!!

  • I think that they try to make it humane so humans dont get sick or die while in the process of working in a slaughter house but I mean where else are you supposed to do your dirty work if you dont have a place to do it yourself so thats what the slaughter house if for, thats it's purpose.

    • I agree that butcherers try to keep the process of butchering animals as humane as possible.

  • I think slaughter houses are doing the best they can to be somewhat good and still producing food. I do think that they are humane based on the fact that they are the countrys main source of food. I think that they do the best they can without tortering the animals but also getting what they can off of it.

    • I agree that slaughterhouses are not only trying to get meat and profit but also trying to keep their methods humane. 

  • I think slaughter houses are doing the best to keep them selfs from poluting the air and keep things well and clean. I think there is better ways to slaughter anaimals then sending them to a slaughter house. I don't think that slaughter houses are very humane.

    • I agree that slaughterhouses are trying to limit the pollutants that they put out into the environment. 

  • I think that slaughter hourses are doing the best they can when dealing with the actual killing process to ensure that the animals don't suffer in their final moments. From what I know, some places put them under before they kill them to make sure they don't feel it. I get why some people would think that it is cruel, but they should do some amount of research before assuming the worst. We haven't taken an animal to slaughter before, mainly because we have horses. 

    • I agree that people should look into this topic more due to the fact that many lies lay about in the livestock industry.

  • I think that slaughter houses are humane because even though they are killing things they do not make the animals suffer. They usually put them out then kill them and even though it might seem cruel to some peopl how else are you suppose to get meat.

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