Horse-meat?
alipene
Posts: 945 Member
There is a huge scandal in the UK at the moment since horse-meat has been found in many beef products such as burgers and frozen lasagnas. Personally, I have never knowingly eaten horse-meat and would choose to avoid it because of my love of horses. But as an omnivore I accept that many people do, and that it is common in many countries What about the rest of you? Assuming that it was 'farmed appropriately' of course - Have you? Would you? As ever...just curious...
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the fact that i could have possibly eaten horse meat does not faze me, although i would not knowingly choose to eat horse meat.
what does bother me is how have these horses got into the food chain? are they pet horses that have been stolen? or horses that have been loaned from owners thinking they are going to a loan home?
or are they horses that would have gone into the food chain anyway and they have been spared a gruling trip across europe before death? if it is the latter it may not be such a bad thing on the horses part? - although that has prompted another quesiton - how are these horses being killed and is it humane?0 -
I was listening to the developments last night and felt sick to the stomach.
Luckily I don't buy ready made meals and any beef burgers I buy have been from a local butcher. I think it would really upset me if I had unknowingly eaten horse meat because of my love for the animals.
Like ChocFiend I respect that it is part of other peoples' culture and is ingrained into society but personally it would be something that I would steer well clear of.
The issue I have, like many, is that fact that it has got into the food chain in the first place when there are such stringent rules for farmers getting meat into the food chain so it beggars belief that this has happened. E.g. cows have 2 tags and even if one is lost, they can not enter the food chain under any circumstances.
I think there are a lot of questions that need to be asked and all full producers need to be taken to task on this. One of my concerns is that if it has been through illegal activity (which is one of the suggestions that I have hear) then there is the possibility of the horses having had bute before they entered the chain OR that they had some sort of disease.
I also have issue with how they have been killed (I don't want to use slaughtered when it comes to an animal that I love) as I know there have been various things posted on the internet - I can't bear to watch these things as they always upset me.
I think we should all join the World Horse Welfare's campaign against transportation and suffering of those that are taken all the way across Europe.
*Steps down of soap box*0 -
I also don't buy ready meals with mince in (other than weight watchers 'beef' hotpot) or burgers. all meat i have comes from the butchers other than the odd takeaway.
I also heard how the horses are killed last night, whether what I was being told was true or not I don't know, but it was upsetting to think that horses may die in that way
**thinks we should all stay standing on our soap boxes** ;-)0 -
Not to be all smug about it, but it's times like this that I'm glad I'm a vegetarian.
I don't find the fact that horses are being eaten particularly upsetting in itself. I do think it's terrible that they were able to be inserted into the production line unnoticed. And of course, I'm very much against the way horses are transported and slaughtered - but the lives of many other animals raised for meat are worse. See pigs and chickens. I only buy free-range eggs myself.0 -
I heard about your scandal and find it heart breaking. We have a notorious Auction just an hour from me. I won't go into the details. suffice it to say that two vets have to patrol the auction to make sure equine are "healthy" enough to be sold. Ie can breathe and walk. They used to drag horses who couldn't walk.
I am waiting for the day that Japanese and French die from American horse meat as these poor, end of the line equines are drugged so that they can walk or trot the Run Way.
check out New Holland Auction for people who eat horse meat. It's not a pretty picture. is there any place where horses are "farmed" kindly?
BTW my horse came From New Holland, as do so many racehorses in the Northeast. We,have eliminated equine slaughter houses, so now they are shipped on double decker trucks to Canada and Mexico. You just can't win. typical OTTB goes for $400 meat.
bless the Rescues who purchase the horses they can rehome. Now at two local tracks you will lose your license for sending horses to,auction!
My aunt raised big drafts for a place in northern Michigan where horses replace cars. she was duped into selling two of her 4 years old to the meat market
I don't eat meat.I can imagine raising a chicken or a cow and having a great relationship. I don't need to eat them. the food industry is so scary in the US. We have to be very careful.0 -
I only buy free-range eggs myself.
You have to be careful here too. free range means...1. Not in a cage. 2. Door to,chicken house is open. <cld be a huge chicken house and a small door. Organic label helps with their diet...not loaded with whatever.
I get my eggs from the local farm who has her chickens. they peck around all day and go in at night. As a bonus, they have a for ever home.
Equine clicker trainer Alex Kurland said her first assignment was to clicker train a chicken! They are sentient beings.
If you don't think you can get adequate protein, I invite you to check my food diary. This is the recommended eating program from Dr. Ornish, cardiologist and researcher and Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Family Practice. ( Although after Atkins, I recognize that "Dr" might not mean as much!) I don't think Dr. Weil cares if you drop meat and fish and dairy either although he eats fish.
I am lucky as Meat Left Me. first beef, then pork and on down the line. I went with it. I have back slides. but personally I have found as spirituality improves, eating gets back to basics, vegan. I would really prefer to be a fruit eater only but I am not,sure that is healthy? Nothing is killed when you eat fruit.
I wonder what people taste like? We have mostly fattened up people in the US?!0
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