Integritus Prime

Eating ourselves to a better world definitely warrants a discussion on animal agriculture. Increasing world demand indicates that many people eat meat and dairy on a regular basis. Most of the time, we do not even think about where meat and dairy come from. Eating meat is so ingrained in our psyche and culture, that we get desensitized to the way animals are treated when they are reared for milk and meat. One look at the inhumane conditions they are trapped in will definitely prompt you to rethink your eating habits. Decreasing the demand for dairy and meat will go a long way to stop the abuse of animals.

Here are just ten reasons to eat plant-based meals and let animals live freely (see our previous post for 17 reasons humane is a hoax) and for more examples and pictures, see Compassion in World Farming’s website:

1.     Let’s look at the dairy industry: as soon as the young cows start ovulating, they are artificially inseminated, in other words, raped.  This occurs regularly for years until they are too old or exhausted to be made pregnant yet again.

2.     Their calves (babies) are removed from them as soon as they are born, not even getting a sip of their mothers’ milk.

3.     Male calves are sent for slaughter to produce veal and the female calves are fed artificial milk to make them grow up quickly. They suffer the same fate as their mothers until they cannot be made pregnant any more. Then they are sold off for slaughter for beef or leather.

4.     In some factory farms, the cows stand in their own urine and feces. This predisposes them to a lot of infections, TB and Brucellosis to name a few.

5.     The methods of killing include slitting their throats and stringing them up so they bleed out. The other cows in line waiting to be killed are watching their friends being killed and are terrified. Similarly, when they are shot in the head, the other cows watch while the fallen convulsing cow dies.

6.     The bulls that provide sperm for impregnating cows also suffer in the process. They are given an electric shock, which makes them ejaculate, and their sperm is collected and stored.

7.     Cattle live in captivity and often in filthy conditions with no space to move.

8.     Chickens are reared for meat and eggs. The so-called “meat birds” are given feed with growth hormone to make them grow faster and bigger in size. Some of them become so overweight they can hardly stand, much less walk.

9.     Living in crowded conditions is risky, so infections are common. To avoid infections, chicken feed includes antibiotics. The situation of crowding is worse for egg-layers. They live in very confined spaces (cages) where they eat, defecate and lay eggs, with hardly any space to move.

10. Similar problems arise with farmed pigs, and aquatic creatures like fish and prawns. Overcrowding leading to infections are not uncommon, which then pollute waterways and our bodies too.

Imagine eating the meat coming from traumatized animals. That flesh has residual hormones, antibiotics or diseases.  There are some people who like eating half cooked meats (rare or medium rare). They may well be eating bacteria such as E.coli that will make them sick.

If the demand for meat and dairy decreases then the industry will have to scale down and eventually stop abusing animals. The best way to decrease the demand is to eat more plant-based meals.  

Share with us your thoughts and experiences.