The Royal - Part 2: Livestock Yesterday, after my post about the horses, Bella Misty Meadows Animal Sanctuary raised a good point - its all well and good that we want to see the horses treated better, but what about the other animals? Why do we have a double standard that we want to see horses and dogs treated one way, because they are our pets, and then we have a different view on the cattle, sheep and poultry? First, I have to say that I dont know what these animals lives are like at home. I am sure some of them have a life where they are free to exhibit their natural behaviours and can live together as a family, not locked in small pens and cages. But we would be naïve to think that all off they had this freedom. Lets start with the pigs and chickens, 2 areas that are well known for their treatment of animals. What I found weird is that despite all the outrage you see posted on facebook for birds and pigs in hatcheries and lots, noone seemed bothered by the display booths for these industries. 4 birds sat in a cage that was not much bigger than them. People ewwed and awwed at how cute the birds were, but didnt seem to connect the fact that what they were seeing was not a temporary cage for the Royal, but was in fact these birds life. At 2, when they are spent (meaning that they dont lay an egg a day anymore) they are disposed of. And no, they dont look like the plush birds in the cages - often they are balding because of the artificial light forcing a forced molt and they are debeeked so that in the unnaturally small pens they dont peck each other. The same can be said about the piglets, whose tails are cut off and teeth pulled out to prevent them from hurting each other. But we had pigs, and tail biting was never an issue because they had room to run and play. I miss raising our piggies, but they dont live well with goats and we are not set up to separate our animals. But I can say without hesitation that if we raise them humanely with space, this type of treatment is not necessary. But are you willing to pay extra so that an animal can live a good life? More space means less animals which means lower profit margins. I hate to be the one to tell you, but your purchasing decisions are what is putting animals into these situations. When they are showing the cows, they have a stick with a sharp hook on the end. This is used to get the cow to move, stand square and then run along the belly so they keep it tucked up. Doing what you need to do to get a cow to move somewhere where it can be treated when sick is one thing, but putting an animal through this treatment and stress for a ribbon is something else. The sheep are sheared to show them off, leaving them exposed to the elements at a time of year when they should have lots of wool - oh wait, we arent letting them outside any way, so I guess that doesnt matter. The sheeps tails are docked so close, they have no protection for their underside. Studies have shown that this short a dock also increases the chance of prolapse during lambing (ie: the guts come out as well as the baby when the mother is pushing). Why are these sheep cut this short? So they look good for the judge. Lets look at another area that is a personal peeve - the breeding of unnatural animals. Lets start with the Holstein, who has been bred for a larger and larger udder and a thinner and thinner frame. I know woman with very large breasts that talk about the pain they feel. And how much better they feel after a reduction. In proportion, these cows would be a size F. I can only imagine how the weight of the udder must cause pain. There are birds with long feathers on their feet - obviously they arent allowed outside, because the feathers wouldnt look so lovely if the bird was walking around in the mud and grass. The list goes on. What I would love to see more of at the Royal is Rare Breeds Canada, who encourage keeping and protecting natural breeds. Even more, I would love to see animals that are not judged on how they look, but instead on more natural qualifications. We recently bought a Kiko goat. These goats arent excepted into shows because they have not been bred for uniformity. Instead, they have been bred for important things - parasite resistance, ease of kidding, hardiness, good foraging ability and good feet. These are the traits I want with my goats. I dont care about the shape of the billys testicles (yes, they look at this), whether his ears are wide enough apart or his face exhibits the traditional X known to his breed. How ridiculous that we judge based on these things. Do all the animals at the Royal get mistreated. I doubt it. I would guess that most of the beef cattle have a pretty good life in the field if they are show animals, and I am sure that they get the best in food and health care. But we need to be aware and ask questions when we are there. Does your animal live out in a paddock with optional access to shelter, or do you lock them up in pens and feedlots? Does your animal get to live as a family unit, as nature intended, or do you keep the males isolated until breeding time, creating aggressive males that only look at breeding? Are the babies force weaned, calling and calling for their mothers so that you can breed them back quicker, or do you allow mother to wean her baby when she knows she is ready and she can do it right? Do your animals get a lot of grain, which leads to upset stomachs and poor immunity and reduced parasite resistance, forcing them to fatten up quickly, or do you allow a natural diet of grass and brush, letting the animal forage? Again, it comes down to questioning. Ask the farmer. Or if you are the farmer, ask yourself. What is life like from the eyes of the animal. What does the animal feel? Are the animals emotional needs being met? To me, this is more important even than the treatment of horses and dogs. These animals are feeding us. They are giving us sustenance. They are giving us life, often through their own. Dont they deserve a good life in return? I love hearing from the people that agree with my posts, but I would also love to hear from people that dont agree. It is important to understand both sides, and the truth lies somewhere in between. Please dont be shy, but do be polite. I would love to understand the other side of this equation. I cant promise to agree, but I do promise to listen and try to understand.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 11:24:34 +0000
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