The Positive Impact of the Horse Slaughter Industry Essay Example
The Positive Impact of the Horse Slaughter Industry Essay Example

The Positive Impact of the Horse Slaughter Industry Essay Example

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  • Pages: 12 (3212 words)
  • Published: February 11, 2017
  • Type: Case Study
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The ancient Botai culture in Kazakhstan first domesticated horses 5,500 years ago, and its economy was equine-based. Horses were used for labor, transportation, milk, and consumption. Even at that early time, if the horses did not succumb to the rigors of daily life, work-related injuries, or battle, then they were sold for salvage. The money received from the salvage was reinvested in a younger, stronger horse. The salvaged horse would go to the rendering plant for leather, horsehair furniture, glue, gelatin, cosmetics, or to the butcher for dog food and human consumption.

Soldiers and civilians worldwide consumed horse meat during World War I and World War II. Soldiers needed the extra protein horse meat provided. American butcher shops sold horsemeat for half the price of beef, although consumers preferred beef. Today’s society still consume

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s horse meat. In Europe and Japan, it is a staple and in Sweden horse meat out sells mutton and lamb combined. Residents of Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, France, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malta, Mongolia, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom all consume horse meat.

Italy surpasses all other countries in the European community in horse meat consumption. Horsemeat is lean, protein-rich, finely textured, bright red, firm and most of all immune to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). Horse meat has become overwhelmingly popular in Quebec, especially Montreal, where the butchers that specialize in horse meat are busier than ever. This new surge in consumption has been backed by the fear of BSE. Butchers who specialize in horse meat in Europe and Quebec are only allowed horse meat sales within their shop. The Hors

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Slaughter Controversy

Many individuals believe there is a need to ban horse slaughter. Animal activists lobby for closures of horse meat plants arguing they are inhumane and that the horse is a pet, an animal of our history. The horse slaughter industry is maintained and controlled by the same regulations as other meat industries; beef, mutton and other legal meats. A ban on horse slaughter in 2006 drastically changed the horse industry, with many job lost and over population of horses occurred. Opponents convincing Congress to cut funding for horse meat inspections accomplished the ban on horse slaughter.

This devastated the animal agriculture sector for what seemed to be sentimental and romantic notions. Americans dining on horsemeat is nearly non-existent as they are treated as beloved pets and iconic symbols of the West. The ban shut down the kill plants, which eliminated jobs of kill plant workers and meat inspectors, as well as an estimated $152-$222 million dollars per year of income to the United States economy. President Barack Obama signed a law on November 18, 2011 that lifted the ban on horse slaughter.

Money was not allocated for horse meat inspectors, although if a plant were to open then inspections will be made to ensure all federal laws are being followed. However, with the ban lifted, it is up to each state to decide whether to open horse slaughterhouses. The ban on slaughterhouses has had unexpected consequences of horse neglect and abandonment. Representative Sue Wallis, a Wyoming state lawmaker, said the ranchers used to be able to sell crippled, unfit work horses to slaughterhouses, but now those horses are being shipped

to Canada and Mexico to butchers and fetch less than half the price.

Lawmakers of the same political party have even been posed against each other. Max Baucus, a Democrat Senator from Montana, stated that the poor economy has resulted in sad cases of horse abandonment and neglect, lifting the ban will give Americans a shot at regaining lost jobs and making sure sick horses are not abandoned or mistreated. Jim Moran, D-VA is lobbying to permanently ban horse slaughter because he believes it is inhumane. The closing of the last plant in the USA in 2007 caused thousands of horses to be sent to Mexico and Canada.

The US Senate has passed a resolution and is urging the House of Representatives to offer incentives to open horse processing plants in the United States. Senators say it is cruel to force old or lame horses to wait for natural death. Former Missouri State Senator Matt Bartle, a Republican, stated, “The unintended consequences have been disastrous for horses. We now have horses all over the state that are skin and bones that are suffering tremendously. Some people actually enjoy the taste of horse meat.

It feeds dogs. It feeds other animals. Former Missouri State Senator Frank Barnitz, a Democrat, stated “People need to realize that horses are not pets; horses are livestock. ” The Argument for Horse Slaughterhouses I am the daughter of a livestock dealer. My father was an amazing wrangler and rancher. Throughout my life, we have bought and sold many horses--too many to count, and I have also sent my own fair share to the slaughter plants. As a young

teen I had a horse we called Whino, he was a great horse for me when I was learning to ride and wanting to follow Dad around.

There comes a time in a horse’s life when they are not capable of doing what they once were or that they become sore or crippled to lead a life with meaning or comfort. I was raised to understand life and death and that one will follow the other. I knew when we had to ship a horse that it was the best option for that individual. Children and adults have rode horses my father and I sold to participate in events, such as showing, roping, and jumping. They have also kept horses to receive the ultimate gifts in life—happiness and joy.

Nevertheless, horse owners including myself have sent their working horse or pet horse to the slaughterhouses. The horse meat market was, and still is, a need today. I am writing this paper to provide information on the horse slaughter industry so readers can make an informed decision. Many believe that sending horses to the slaughterhouse is cruel and inhumane. I have facts that show otherwise.

“The welfare of horses sent to slaughter has been protected in the United States by the same federal veterinary infrastructure and safeguards that assure the humane slaughter of beef attle and swine. ”The horse is rendered unconscious by electroshock and then dispatched by controlled bleeding; hence, the animal feels no fear and has no suffering. The slaughter industry provides an outlet for unusable or dangerous horses, and it also sets a price floor for the horse market as

a whole. In addition to being humane, horse slaughter actually provides the backyard horses a way of escape instead starvation and neglect. Moreover, people who cannot afford to euthanize their horses or pay for high cost disposal can opt to send their horses to the slaughterhouse.

Choosing to send your horse to the slaughter house will actually generate a minimal amount of money to the owner, a killer buyer is available at different horse sales, or markets and often times they will travel to your residence to pick the animal up. Readers of this paper are of appropriate ages that are able to make their own decisions and have their own feelings regarding death. We all know that death is not pretty in any way nor is it a happy time. When someone is suffering is it fair to keep him around for our personal comfort? No, I do not.

If your loved one was terminally ill, would you want that person connected to an oxygen tank and remain lifeless because you are too stubborn to let go? Animals are the same way. Are you going to keep your dog around to be blind, crippled, deaf, or unable to go to the bathroom alone? No, because that is not fair either. There is a place they are more comfortable. Now let’s discuss the horse--an animal that is a symbol of integrity. Is it really fair for neglected horses to stand around just because people do not want to see them put to death?

Everyone and every animal will have their time, some sooner than others. I strive to intrigue your mind to

think about all of the uses the horse has afterlife. Horses give us comfort and enjoyment, and for some of us a means to make a living, such as cowboys and ranchers. Throughout the country, and even locally, there are many malnourished, underfed horses. Finding a home for these horses is not always the best solution. What about when the owners can no longer afford to feed the horses anymore? What if the owners no longer have time to maintain the horses?

Having a horse is a major responsibility and long-term commitment, and unfortunately, not everyone realizes that. Long time business man and local proprietor Jerry Nine, owner of Woodward Livestock Auction, which is one of the three largest livestock auction houses in our nation, has support to for slaughterhouses. In my interview with Nine, he recalled a conversation with a horse trader when he was 25-years-old: Nine had an old horse he wanted to get rid of but did not want to send it to the slaughterhouse.

The horse trader said to Nine, “Well let me tell you, you think you are doing that old horse a favor giving him to a kid or a family, but when the new wears off just like it does a puppy or a cat and no one wants to go out to feed and water him, what justice have you actually accomplished? ” Nine said he always thinks of that conversation as he drives along the countryside daily and sees many instances of underfed animals. We as people want to save all animals. There is currently a program in areas where ranchers are paid to

keep Bureau of Land Management (BLM) horses on their land and give them a place to live.

I think this is great and many are getting rich when they would have gone broke in the cattle business, but the BLM is a horse of our history. BLM horses are the wild and free horses that have roamed the land for eternity; these are the survivors through the civilization of our country. Nobody gave horses vaccinations and wormed them in the past. They are wild and free, and survival of the fittest did its job. Now, we have these homes, ranches the government pays to house these horses, for them and the other local people just drive by, tie their horse to the fence and drive away.

With a meat market, the horses that currently have no other use in life but to stand around would have a place to be taken and then be used for many uses. Another fact of euthanizing horses by injection is not only the high cost of the injections, but the disposal fees and the effect on the environment. Burial options are limited by local restrictions concerning ground and surface water contamination, and due to the large size of the hole needed to bury a horse, a backhoe is usually needed that cost from $300-$500.

If a rendering plant is chosen, then the carcass pickup ranges from $75 to over $200. This is in addition to the initial cost of euthanizing. “The consequential expense of disposing of horses by methods other than slaughter in an abattoir and the unintentional consequences of a ban would result in overall

negative animal welfare from a utilitarian standpoint. ” Other than human consumption, there are other uses for horse meat and the byproducts. Zoo animals are currently being fed with goat meat, pork, and beef. Why should there be a restriction on feeding them horse meat?

Many people have seen a goat, pig, cow, and even a horse. Why should the horse be left to starve in an unforgiving outdoor environment? Furthermore, many people have become healthier with the use of horse byproducts such as a necessary valve to make their heart healthier. Have you ever drawn with Crayola crayons? Thrown a baseball? Eaten Jell-O? Enjoyed yummy gummy bears? Mostly likely, the answer is yes too many of these questions. Byproducts from the rendering plants are used for these items and also for cement, soap, ink, lipstick, and gel in canned meats.

Many products, including those I just listed, that we enjoy or use each day are also made possible from the byproducts of horses. In addition, boots, baseball covers, violin bows, pet food, and fertilizer are also made because of horses. A recent incident at an animal shelter in Alabama should bring some thoughts of the overall welfare of all animals in our society. A man at the pet shelter had put a set of dogs scheduled to be euthanized in the gas chamber and when it was over a nice beagle dog came out wagging his tail. I ask you, why was it fair to euthanize cats and dogs and not horses?

If we did not have animal shelters, then dogs and cats would be running around everywhere. Without the support

of the horse meat industry, this will soon be the case with horses. For instance, I have a friend who runs a BLM care facility and a random truck and trailer pulled through the yard, unloaded a horse and left it tied to the fence. The owners were unknown to anyone and now the BLM facility has an extra horse that it is not rightfully owned. If the slaughter market was open, this horse would have been sold to a dealer, hauled in a safe trailer to the intended facility, and humanely put to death.

The horse meat would feed hungry people and animals that need the protein, and the byproducts would help to make many products we use. Horse slaughter may seem cruel to some people; however, when the horse meat market was open in the USA there were restrictions and guidelines to transporting horses intended for human consumption, all horses were subject to inspection by the USDA inspectors. Since the ban on horse slaughter there has not been any laws on the transport of horses. Due to the lack of laws, the condition that horses are being hauled to Mexico and Canada is inhumane.

Although the ban was lifted it is still does not alleviate this problem. The choice to open slaughter plants is a state to state decision and the Department of Agriculture will have to provide funding within their budget to employ inspectors. “There has been a 310% increase in horses shipped to Mexico since 2006. ” There are also two types of horse slaughterhouses in Mexico, neither of which are regulated facilities. A report from the US Government

Accountability Office determined that about 138,000 horses were transported to Canada and Mexico in 2010, nearly the same number that were killed in the USA before the ban in 2007.

The ban was passed in 2006 and took effect in 2007. Without the support of kill plants in the USA, horses in this country will continue to be killed elsewhere under questionable regulations. Another fact supporting the necessity of horse slaughter is that currently there is not a monetary base for the horse industry. The slaughter market provides a base for the horse breeders and individual owner just as the beef industry sets the market for the commercial bovine versus the bovine being shown, parentage verified and marketed by FFA and family breeders.

The lack of our horse slaughter market has increased the competition for our Wild Horse Program, as well as an abundant supply of low-value horses. Thus, there will be an increase in the cost of the BLM program and the BLM inventory. The BLM enforces the standards of care for their adopted horses, whereas there are very few, if any, regulations in place for horse rescue or adoption/retirement facilities. Although Americans in generally do not eat meat from domesticated animals, why should we stop the export of a product that produced a measurable amount of money for our economy?

It has been estimated by the American Horse Council, “that the total economic impact of a ban on horse processing for export is reported to be $152-$222 million per year. ”Furthermore, the export of meat produced by slaughterhouses is exported to European and Asian countries. These countries use horse meat

for human consumption, alleviating the concern for BSE or mad cow disease. Also, as stated earlier, zoos have a high demand for horsemeat. Large animals, such as lions and tigers, require high protein in their diets and horsemeat can meet the nutritional requirements.

Horse meat is higher in protein and iron, but with less fat, cholesterol, sodium than high quality beef. The non-Anglo cultures prefer horse meat as a source of protein. China is leading horse meat consuming country followed by Japan, France, Italy, and Mexico. Conclusion I ask you to implore your mind to understand and make educated decisions. The horse slaughter industry will alleviate the suffering of backyard, unkempt horses. The lower income families, which make up 41% of the horse owners in the USA, cannot afford euthanasia and disposal.

The support of the horse slaughter industry will help to have the horses transported safely and humanely. The horses will be put to death here rather than hauled away to foreign countries where slaughter houses are not regulated the same way it would in the USA. With slaughterhouses in the USA, horse meat could be used to feed our zoos animals with higher protein and healthier meat. Additionally, the horse meat industry will help set a market base price for entrepreneurs, breeders, and trainers in the horse industry. The horse slaughter industry has the ability to bring millions of dollars of income to our economy.

As death is inevitable, let there be a regulated means for the humane death of our animal of integrity--the horse. Lobbyists and animal welfare proponents must remain competent and credible to maintain the support of

society. The prohibition of horse slaughter increases the documented cases of animal abandonment and overall welfare of horses’ decreases, hence proving the lobbyists incompetent. Animal welfare supporters cannot deny the increased cases of abandoned horses reported since the last slaughter plant closed in Illinois.

In Colorado alone data has shown that investigations for horse neglect and abuse increased more than 60 percent from 2005 to 2009. ” Although people love their horses ‘to death’ this is not always the most humane situation. With the horse slaughter industry operating there would be less neglect within the equine sector of agriculture. Another attribute to the market operating is the base value for horses would increase, which would help smaller horse breeders and farms. The horse slaughter industry is as humane as any other animal slaughter plant.

Pain free death is preferred and the slaughterhouses provide that end. Many people are vegetarians and that choice can be respected, but just because they are a vegetarian does not mean meat processing should be shut down. We live in a country where we are free to decide, and the horse meat industry should be a choice as well. No one has been asked to eat horse meat. This is an agriculture sector that alleviates suffering horses and boosts the economy with jobs and export income. I believe horse slaughter should be a choice, and a choice that I support.

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