SC - Pennsic XXIX Butchering class.

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/28/99 12:01:36 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
phlip at morganco.net writes:

<< and
 while I would be willing to teach one-on-one, as I did with Ras, >>

Correct. Phlip did teach me her way of killing rabbits although I think that 
breaking their necks as we had always done in my family is a far more humane 
method than cutting their throats. Nevertheless, I was not offended by her 
methods at the time and all of the animals died relatively quickly, if not 
instantly, except for one. Another animal had been beat up so bad by his cage 
mates that we made the decision not to slaughter it for health reasons. 
Although it's wounds healed, it did not survive the attack by more than 2 
months. Lord Ramus had taken over its care and was devastated by its  final 
demise. ;-(

Also regarding the use of bludgeoning or fire arms for the kill: Bludgeoning 
the animal or shooting it in the head renders the animal immediately 
unconscious and then the bleeding can be accomplished with absolutely no pain 
to the animal.

Traditionally larger animals such as pigs, goats and cattle where bludgeoned 
with a sledge hammer first then the kill was accomplished. Since the animals 
mentioned are rabbits and pigs, neither of these animals are kosher and 
slitting their throats first serves no good purpose except to cause undo pain 
to the animal and provide the executioner with a rush of adrenaline more 
commonly known as 'blood lust.' Anyone who slaughters regularly or has 
attended bullfights, cockfights or dog fights is familiar with this physical 
high regarding the act of killing.

Chickens and other fowl are most humanely brought to their death by wringing 
their necks or chopping off their heads although with certain foul such as 
peacocks the period method was to stick a knife through the roof of their 
mouth thereby rendering their brains into pulpy uselessness to the animal and 
resulting in their demise. Pigeons and other small birds may be hastened to 
the stew pot by simply popping their heads off. 

Use of firearms for slaughtering was known and used in period although their 
use in the SCA, Inc. unlike some other historical recreationists groups, is 
prohibited on site. Other slaughtering methods often times included 
suffocation, starvation and in the case of dogs in some parts of the world 
slow torture. Since the idea here is to provide the cook with a dead animal 
for the stew pot and to provide it ASAP, I would think that the appropriate 
method would be one which provides minimal or, ideally, no pain. And to 
hasten that death as swiftly as possible in the MOST humane way possible with 
little or no regard to 'period' methods especially when death can be 
accomplished swifter and more humanely with modern techniques.

Just my 2 dinars,

Ras
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