PETA has released a video documenting animal abouse in a factory farm supplying pigs for Hormel Foods.  The video documents piglets being slammed to the ground and sows being abused at the hands of workers.  Some of the abouse documented includes:

(from peta.org)

• A supervisor shoved a cane into a sow’s vagina, struck her on the back about 17 times, and then struck another sow.
• Multiple pigs were beaten with metal gate rods, and lacerations were found on more than 30 sows - which is probably evidence of more abuse.
• A worker hit a young pig in the face four times with the edge of a herding board, and investigators witnessed dozens of similar incidents involving this worker and 11 other workers.
• Two men - including a supervisor - were witnessed jabbing clothespins into pigs’ eyes and faces. A supervisor also poked two animals in the eyes with his fingers.
• A supervisor kicked a young pig in the face, abdomen, and genitals to make her move and told PETA’s investigator, “You gotta beat on the bitch. Make her cry.”
• A worker who weighed an estimated 315 lbs. punched a sow on the back three times and said that he sat on a sow’s head.

We all know that factory farms create horror for animals everyday and even when they are caught people never get the picture and realize it is wrong.  I know people I could show this video to and they would respond with “They’re going to be eaten anyway!”.  People disgust me.

Graphic video:

English Chef Jamie Oliver has shows on Food Network and has written many cookbooks.  He demonstrates hundreds of ways to serve lamb and is in no way vegan.  However, it seems he wants to show the cruelty in slaughterhouses and factory farms.  To do this he goes as far as suffocating chickens and slaughtering a lamb on his TV show in front of a live audience.

If this is all done in the name of activism I don’t see the value, other than that of shock.

Graphic video:

One of the hardest things to give up when I became vegan was cheese.  I think that goes for most vegans I have talked with and most vegetarians name cheese as the one thing keeping them from being vegan.    Begin a “strict-vegetarian” and eating cheese must be met with reading labels and investigating for cheeses that do not contain animal rennet.  Most brands now use vegetable rennet as a coagulant but some smaller companies still employ the calf-intestine enzyme to set their cheeses.  You’ll find it in almost every hard cheese such as parmesan.

What is rennet and how is it produced?

From Wikipedia:

Traditional method

Dried and cleaned stomachs of young calves are sliced into small pieces and then put into saltwater or whey, together with some vinegar or wine to lower the pH of the solution. After some time (overnight or several days), the solution is filtered. The crude rennet that remains in the filtered solution can then be used to coagulate milk. About 1 gram of this solution can normally coagulate 2000 to 4000 grams of milk.

Modern method

Deep-frozen stomachs are milled and put into an enzyme-extracting solution. The crude rennet extract is then activated by adding acid; the enzymes in the stomach are produced in an inactive preform and are activated by the stomach acid. After neutralization of the acid, the rennet extract is filtered in several stages and concentrated until reaching the required potency: about 1:15000 (1 kg of rennet would have the ability to coagulate 15000 litres of milk).

 

Calf stomachs used for rennet production

So, you may be enjoying a bit of calf-stomach scrapings with that hunk of cheddar.   Considering that and the fact you’re just eating dried, moldy bovine-secretions why keep on eating it?  There are some good soy and rice cheeses on the market.  True, some are just like eating waxed paper but a few stand out.  Follow Your Heart makes excellent Cheddar and Mozzarella, both melt great and the Cheddar can make a mean mac and cheese.   Galaxy makes a good rice Parmesan and individual slice, but be sure to read the label as some of their products contain casein, a milk protein aids in melting.   Follow Your Heart cheese do not contain casein and melt just fine.

Also, don’t think all of those dairy cows live a great life just being milked daily.   They are kept pregnant and live short lives, average being 4 years.   Are you contributing to the cruel farming of animals by just eating dairy cheese?  Yes.

All of this leads up to a news story I saw today.   Sweetwater Valley Farm, a local Tennesssee cheese maker, has issued a statement saying one type of it’s cheese should not be eaten as it may contain Listeria.   Seems like a worthy risk to eat that nice cheesy sandwich or casserole topped with stringy goodness, doesn’t it?    Listeria can cause death in the young or elderly.    Healthy adults may be inconvenienced by headaches, cramping,  vomiting and diarrhea.  No big deal.  Teh story also mentions that if you have some of this cheese you may return it for a replacement.   Something doesn’t sound right about that.  “Here’s my chunk of Listeria, may I have another that has less bacteria?”

While were on the subject of cheese, don’t forget about Cazu Marzu!

I have been contacted about a screening of Earthlings that will be hosted at MTSU on April 14th.  It will begin at 7pm and will be held in the KUC Theater.   Free vegan desserts and drinks will be served and admission is free as well.  There will also be a Q&A session after the screening.

This is one of the best responses to “Why are you vegan?” that I have heard. This woman has done her research and obviously has been asked the question before. A bit “fringe” of a response but you can take some good information from this.

After the massive beef recalls over the past week you start to wonder what they do with 143 million pounds of decaying, uneaten bovine flesh.  Here is the answer to those questions.

The USDA has ordered its largest ever meat recall of 143 million pounds, but most of the affected beef may have already been consumed. Where is the failure here? The government that doesn’t pay attention, the factory farms…who don’t pay attention or even care, or the meat-eating consumer who is just interested in eating the most fatty, cholesterol-laden product they can at the lowest possible price?

I wrote a few days ago about Hallmark Meat Packing, a slaughterhouse in California, that was using downer cows in their meat production. It seems form an article posted today on the Tennessean’s website that meat from this plant has made it into the Tennessee school system. Local officials have ordered the meat pulled because downer cows have a higher risk of being infected with mad cow disease. I can stop wondering why people will still insist on eating beef no matter what the risk. Not even to think they feed it to their children. Don’t come here with that “The USDA inspects it.” line, do you TRUST the USDA? Why didn’t they halt the shipment of the beef? Shutdown the slaughterhouse?

I have a problem. There is a stray male cat that frequents my yard and harasses our cat. He chases her, steals her food and is a general nuisance to her. As well, there is a dog (not stray) from a close house that comes into our yard and leaves gifts and chases our cat. One of our inside cats was outside and was attacked by this dog. I love animals but these animals are below my own on the ladder of pets. As far as the dog, the owners are responsible but they are uncaring and think they own the neighborhood. I don’t want to call the pound as we all know what happens to animals that are picked up, so does anyone have any ideas?

I just read an article at CNN.com this morning reporting how a person with a hidden camera entered a slaughterhouse in California (Hallmark Meat Packing Co., based in Chino, California) and taped workers abusing downed cows. They were taped prodding, kicking, poking, and spraying water up the cow’s noses in a effort to get them to get up and walk to the place where their heads will be bashed in and their throats ripped open while swinging upside down. While I obviously hate to read about these situations I do like seeing them brought to light, but this article didn’t quite make me happy. Quote from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois:

“The treatment of animals in this video is appalling, but more than that, it raises significant concerns about the safety of the food being served to our nation’s children,” Durbin said. “The apparent slaughter of sick and weak animals not only appears to violate USDA regulations, but could be a danger to our nation’s food supply.”

While the supply of beef from this plant is reported to be used in the nation’s school lunch supply nowhere in the article does anyone address the animal’s treatment more than the first nine words of Durbin’s statement.

The treatment of the animals is just as heinous as any idea of diseased meat entering the food supply. Let me state that I do hold the welfare of children and what they consume in schools and anywhere else in the highest regard. The thought of diseased anything entering the nation’s food supply is a horrible thought. I don’t wish for that and am glad attention is being brought to that point but I think more and as much attention should be given to the animal’s situation. The more attention that is given to the treatment of animals in this situation the more people will realize what it is they are really munching on at dinner.

I’m sure your kids would love to go to McDonald’s tonight.

Be sure to watch the video at the top of this article. Must see viewing.

The Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Circus is in town through the weekend at the Sommet Center. Usually when this circus shows up it is greeted by protesting from various groups, one I know of is PETA, there’s also a handful of other animal ethics groups. I have never attended a circus, have no intentions of ever attending and am fully aware of the horrors that the animals endure in the training. Of course, the circus execs always talk of how good the animals are treated, but never mention the electric prods and whips the animals face daily. Do you think the animals just naturally act this way? If you do plan on attending be sure to pay attention the demeanor of the animals, do they look happy? Are they acting with affection? Do they look threatened? Let me know what you witness.