'Hugh's Chicken Run' A Moral Dilemna for DFWs?

ZTD

pania wrote: »

The atrocities in the world are caused by humans, free to make their own life decisions, free to make the choice to cause said atrocities.

Well that's not strictly true - animals are cruel too. If a fox gets into a hen house, all of them will die, even if only a couple are eaten (for example).

pania wrote: »

An animal is a living breathing feeling emotive intelligent creature that feels suffering, feels pain, feels stress and feels boredom in exactly the same manner as humans. the fact that they lack the intellect to express this or do something about it does not excuse the treatment of them.

The do have the intellect to do this, we merely lack the intellect to understand them - and the will. Though even when we can understand, we choose not to - Darfur anyone?

pania wrote: »

So to suggest that a lot of time and money is wasted on animal welfare is disgusting. we have the responsibility to look after these animals and it's about time certain humans started seeing the value of life, in whatever shape or form that life takes!!

I took it to mean there are some people who are more interested in animal welfare than people's, and that's true. Even to the extent of an old woman being dug out of her grave in the middle of the night.

pania wrote: »

You know that tough piece of steak you've eaten previously? that is generally caused by a release of phosphorous into the animals tissue as it has suffered a very stressful death.

Didn't know that.

pania wrote: »

Tender meat= stressfree lifestyle and death.

All my meat is tender. And unadulterated. Even when I cook it.

pania wrote: »

So even if you can't see your way clear to a little compassion for animals, think of it as this. if the animal is well looked after and cared for, you get a nicer meal for it.

I can vouch for that. The stuff I eat is lovely. Resturants are very disappointing now in comparision and I'm not exactly Masterchef.

ZTD

lisyloo wrote: »

It's all very well buying free-range but
1) How can you be sure of what you are getting (unless you know it comes from a specific farm).

The smaller retailers will have up on a board where their meat comes from - it's part of the traceability thing. "Today the cow serving you came from McGills Farm and was called Daisy."

Ok - the name is a number, but you get the idea.

lisyloo wrote: »

2) What do you do when you go out to a restaurant/buy a sandwhich etc.

Eat fish alas. Not because of the cruelty aspect but because meat tastes so poor in comparison to the stuff you do at home.

ZTD

lesley_rod wrote: »

Although not optimistic I hope the type of publicity these shows provoke might lead to a time when the farmers gets paid a fair price for rearing animals for slaughter in a humane way AND we pay a fair (which can't be cheap) price in the shops. Sadly more likely the farmers will get squeezed, we will pay more and the supermarkets will make even more.

Try to buy direct from a farm: You can see the conditions, you get it cheaper because the supermarket isn't taking a cut, and the farmer gets more because the supermarket isn't taking a cut.

desperation_2

I would definately always go for the free range or organic. Yes it is dearer but the health benefits, bird welfare, taste really do make a difference.

To offset the extra cost if you use the whole bird and strip off all meat to make soups, stocks, risotto etc, then an extra meal can be made. As a country I really think we need to go back to basics and use ALL that we can to eek out, stretch out and gain more value from our food.

It is really easy to get at least 2 meals on 2 days out of a chicken which works out a lot cheaper than convenience food/takeaways etc. And a lot more healthier.!

In_Search_Of_Me

At the end of the day people have to make their own choices. I would rather eat less chicken and buy free range than be responsible for putting them through that. Yes a free range chicken will be eaten in the end but for me the important thing is that it had a relatively happy life first! Also if people were to boycott the cheap stuff supermarkets would have to change their purchasing habits because they're in it for the money after all - no demand for supply & they'll stop doing it. While I appreciate the argment that Hugh is loaded some people seem to have missed the point he was making. I also found it interesting that the large battery farmers wouldnt be filmed which means to me that they have something to hide! I'm not preaching to others about what they buy but I for one will be trying to locate more friendly alternatives for chicken & meat in future. Yes this means I'll eat less meat but I couldnt eat it again in good conscience after seeing that. This obviously will mean some practical changes - ie what to eat when I go out for a meal as restraunts will invaraibly use cheap meat! Possibly the time has come for me not to eat meat/chicken unless I know its free range. May also start shopping at a farmers market & think there is one locally on a Sunday which I'll investigate. Does anyone have any links to free range producers? ...

pania

ZTD wrote: »

Well that's not strictly true - animals are cruel too. If a fox gets into a hen house, all of them will die, even if only a couple are eaten (for example).

Aye,but animals are acting on animal instinct, following their natural reactions, a human has a choice whether to pull the trigger that ends someones life. whether to torture their prisoner or drop bombs that decimate the town it falls on, unselectively. very much like the fox going into a feeding frenzy and unselectively killing chickens. the difference is in knowing right and wrong and exercising choice.

ZTD wrote:

The do have the intellect to do this, we merely lack the intellect to understand them - and the will. Though even when we can understand, we choose not to - Darfur anyone?!!

I totally agree. look into an animals eye and it will tell u all you need to know. if you choose to that is

forgive ignorance, what happened at darfur? any chance of a linky?

ZTD wrote:

I took it to mean there are some people who are more interested in animal welfare than people's, and that's true. Even to the extent of an old woman being dug out of her grave in the middle of the night.

there are extremes of everything. it is knowing where the extremes are and where to draw the line. look at the problems with mink in the uk. result of extremists. i was responding to hbl's comment of "i don't care much for animal welfare - peopleI think a lot of time and energy is wasted by people who care more for animals than they do .

animal welfare people do such a fantastic job to provide a voice for those who don't have it. The RSPCA, the sanctuary's that often survive with no government assistance just purely on charitable donations. Is this such a waste of time and energy?

ZTD wrote:

Didn't know that.

Sadly tis true. Is why you get kobi beef in restaurants, animal is provided completely clean bedding, massaged and groomed every day and have aromatherapy oils burnt in their stable and ambient music played for a completely stress free life style. Then one day, bang! Is the least marbled most tender meat available apparently. as a result of no stress. Yes this is an extreme but shows a point.

ZTD wrote:

All my meat is tender. And unadulterated. Even when I cook it.

Aaw zed, surely your cooking isn't that bad!:rotfl:

ZTD wrote:

I can vouch for that. The stuff I eat is lovely. Resturants are very disappointing now in comparision and I'm not exactly Masterchef.

Thankyou. Majority of Restaurants like tesco are very unselective or uncaring as to where their beef is raised or the conditions that it is raised in. the least dollar signs spent the higher the profit.

Hi by the way!:wave:

In_Search_Of_Me

Anyone watching it now? I am but think I'll end up not eating it at all!

pania

Take a look at www.hillside.org. Click on the link on the left hand side saying "click here to watch our farm animal investigations" then click on chicken supreme. If you watch any of the videos on this site the investigations will truly sicken you. It provides a real insight into intensive farming and how animals are just a commodity and treated as such.

I've just been tot esco and out of interest looked at the labelling on quite a few chickens. No where did it indicate whether the chicken was free range or barn or caged reared. surely this should be compulsory on any forms of meat?

Shineyhappy

I dont know if anyone is interested, but have a look at the compassion in world farming website:

http://www.ciwf.org.uk/supermarkets/pages/farm-animals/eggs.asp

Its quite interesting! Btw just like to point out that I am not suggesting we all go to Marks for our food. Although after watching Jamie Olivers Fowl Dinners on 4 at the mo, I think Old Style is the way to go either make it from scratch or just dont it eat. I for one will be giving up mayo unless I can budget extra for it from Marks or until Hellmans free range ones come out in June and I do live mayo. Worse still !!!!!! I am going to do with all the veggie burgers that contain egg to bind them OH will most definatly not be happy with me going vegan :eek:

In_Search_Of_Me

shinehappy what about making mayo?