Kill it, Cook it, Eat it

[johnty greentoes]

I do not believe I am telling lies, people can find out for themselves if they want to.

All of us, except 1, can see exactly where you are coming from.

[dexterdoglancashire]

I half saw the programme on pork this week. I didnt watch the gruesome bits because I was already upset about supersprout, and I had also found out that dexter the dog may have arthritis - and was crying my eyes out before the programme started! When I was a student I worked at a pork butchers so knew about the actual killing of the animals already, but couldnt cope with watching it. Makes you think though doesnt it? DDL

[sewer rat]

I think that the one aspect of this programme that I would have changed was for the vet's comments to be relayed to those present at the viewing windows. Whilst the slaughter of animals for food does not bother me, having been involved in the process from birth to death of animals myself, I do feel that the vets comments particularly in the moments following the animal being stunned, when the bodies were performing their involuntary muscle twitches due to the blood being drained from the body and the nervous system reactions, could have been relayed to the watching guests as this aspect did seem to upset some of them greatly and they were perhaps labouring under the illusion that the animals were still alive and suffering.

[Wendy]

Good point sewer rat! something i had never thought of before,
i didnt see the programme but i have seen several other, possibly more graphic films and to me a lot of the animals do seem to still be alive and feeling what is going on - you can see it in their eyes. I do agree though that the animals will shake and jerk as a natural biological reaction.

The main thing that hurts me is what really goes on in slaughter houses - not what the media would like us to think or see............but the reality, i have seen many times the total disrespect for these incredible animals that offer us so much, not only in friendship but food, clothes, homes (or many parts of it!) musical instruments, medicines and many, many other things, this disrespect makes me sad

[Alison]

Typical, away all week and miss a programme that I would have found very interesting. Hadn't seen that it would be on so didn't manage to record it either. Anybody know if it's going to be repeated?

Like many already posted, we're a bit hypocritical about our meat eating as I wouln't be good about killing my own, especially if it was on a small scale. However, having been brought up with many farmer friends, I'm pretty aware of the issues involved and make a conscious effort to buy ethically produced meat from local butchers and we certainly eat an awful lot less meat than we used to in order that, when we do eat it, we can afford (luckily for us) to buy the stuff we want.

Re the vegetarian issue, was a veggie for a while in my 20's, partly due to finding out more about intensitve farming and partly for economic reasons. When back to eating meat over a long period but still avoid some types, for example will only eat pork from pigs reared in the UK. Haven't eated veal for many many years but am thinking of taking up an invitation to visit a farm near Preston who have an open house policy for folks to come and have a look at the way they look after their animals in the production of organic rose veal. Could be interesting and if they are being treated well then this may sit better with me than some other meats.

Have no problem with people's reasons to similarily restrict their diets, but would question anybody who didn't question any elements of their diet.

[yoanbob]

we really wanted to watch this program but its not available for download yet, i was vegatarian for 12 years bob for two but we eat meat now as long as we know where it came from and how it lived, doing our own ducks last year was quite upsetting, but we would do it again, delicious.

[Alison]

There's something on the BBC3 web site about it being repeated on Sunday 18 March at 11pm, it says it an omnibus but only lasts 45 minutes so I can't believe it's all the episodes.

[sewer rat]

Wendy
I am afraid that I have to agree with you - what was shown of the way the slaughterhouse at Glossop worked was, unfortunately, not typical - though many small scale local abbatoirs are very very good. However,the big new multi line abbatoirs have such a huge throughput of livestock and have high throughput targets to meet that inevitably shortcuts will be taken and mistakes made - and this goes hand in hand witha lack of respect for the animals.
As an aside, I have been speakig to a guy up here who rears 100% organic wild boar - they live and forage in a large fenced off area of forest - but he cannot market it as organic because if he had to transport the animals to the nearest organic approved abbatoir, he would not only incur more cost, but the journey would stress the boar and this in turn would effect the flavour. So they are slaughtered locally and he explains the situation to each and every cutomer - what I'd like to know is why all abbatoirs aren't forced to become organically approved - and for that matter, how do you organically approve a building ????

[Alison]

Don't know how you do approve the buildings but know that you have to. My local supplier of pig products can't claim to be organic anymore as the abbatoir they were using either closed or lost it's status - can't remember which. However, they still rear the animals in the same manner and will chat to you about the meat cuts etc. Not sure but am guessing that there is a lot of hoop jumping to get official approval and this may not be feasible for all smaller scale enterprises, a bit like various egg producers I know who farm organically but can't actually claim it without spending a heck of a lot of money.

[blossom]

As an aside, I have been speakig to a guy up here who rears 100% organic wild boar - they live and forage in a large fenced off area of forest

Not very wild then are they.