[Sca-cooks] SCA Slaughtering

[Kirsten Houseknecht]

as someone who saw a mundane (modern) slaughter go bad once... it was enough
to instantly explain vegetarianism to me.

i know modern methods are supposed to be humane... and maybe most of the
time they are.. but of course the *one* time i went to a slaughtering
house.. it wasnt!

Kosher methods seem kindest to me, i suppose.  and they havent changed too
much in a long time.


<squick space>



<shudder>


i will save everyones nerves the complete description, but suffice it to say
that the thing they used to "knock the cow out/kill the cow" didnt work..
and they started taking off bits while it was still kicking and making
noise. the people butchering it didnt seem to care at all. i fled.


<shudder>





<squick space>
Kirsten
kirsten at fabricdragon.com
http://www.fabricdragon.com

"Did you vote?  No?   Then don't come whining to me...."
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Newton" >
> There is a sound reason why the USDA does not allow cattle/pigs/sheep to
be
> knocked in the head by an axe or sledgehammer any more. You tend to panic
> the creature, causing the meat to be tainted by adrenalin or injury, and
> thereby lowering the quality. You also have a higher risk of injury to the
> man killing the beast, and to the equipment. (Although the box which the
> cattle are run into to be slaughtered is still called the knocking box
:) )
>
> Unless you're killing with the kosher method, that is to slice the throat
> with a single swipe of the knife, which is/was acceptable.
>
> Or are you talking about shooting them in the head humanely? This is
> acceptable USDA practice (although you cannot save the head meat due to
bone
> and metal fragements.) However, I have never come across any period
> documents about shooting livestock with firearms -not that there are none
> out there - just that I've never seen or heard of any. If you do have info
> concerning period slaughter, I would love to read it. Seriously.
>
> For the record, the other methods the USDA allows plants to use are CO2
> anesthesia before sticking (not often used because it's trickier since you
> can't kill the animals just knock them unconscious), a captive bolt which
> works the same way as a bullet does, only you don't have to worry about a
> stray bullet going where it doesn't belong.
>
> For smaller animals, electricity can be used to cause unconsciousness but
> cows are too big for it to work properly.
>
> For your main point, I have found when explaining what I do in real life
to
> people, either in or outside the SCA, they either become extremely
> interested, or immediatly turn green around the gills. I imagine you'll
have
> the same response. So far (except this list) I've hit about a 60
> interested/40 greened gill average in the SCA.
>
> The only verbal response I've ever heard against slaughter at an event was
> some of the vegetarians were irritated at listening to the goats bleat
> overnight, knowing that it was to be supper the next day. They did couch
it
> as "it might be upsetting to the children" if that's any help.
>
> Beatrix of Tanet
>
> also Inspector Newton, USDA FSIS
>