# Slaughter plant to open in New Mexico Jan. 1



## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

About time!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

COWCHICK77 said:


> About time!
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Can you explain your response?


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## SullysRider (Feb 11, 2012)

We do need it, too many unwanted horses. Better slaughter than dying of starvation.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I am pro- slaughter and I hope the NM plant paves the way for more. 
This has been said more than 100 times on this forum, but I would like the these horses taken care of here in the states under USDA supervision rather than shipped to Mexico.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Sunrider, don't assume that all of us who are pro-slaughter are of the sentiments "WooHoo, lets go slaughter all the horses!" I am pro-slaughter simply because there is no other way to maintain a balance in the horse market and population. Right now, because there is no slaughter here in the US, there are horses standing around starving, there are horses being subjected to thousands of miles in an overstuffed trailer to go to a slaughtering house in Canada or Mexico (some of the sites in Mexico _don't_ have any oversight to ensure the horses are treated as humanely as possible), there are good horses that can't find homes, and owners are selling their good horses for a pittance.

Horses that would have been worth $2-3 thousand a decade ago are being sold for $200-300 or less. Rescues are jammed and overflowing, horses are being turned loose on public land to fend for themselves.

I don't see how _any_ of that is better than a short trip on a trailer to be quickly dispatched in a way that is as humane as possible and have the meat bringing at least _some_ money into our floundering economy. That meat might even be feeding some hungry folks who can't get meat anywhere else.


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## Tracer (Sep 16, 2012)

bsms says it wonderfully. It's not that any of us _like_ the fact that horses are being killed, but it is better than the alternative. The lesser of two evils, if you'd prefer.

I really wish that all the animal activist groups would realize that. There isn't enough money in the world to allow for every horse born these days to be kept safe and healthy, and I for one would rather kill them myself than let them suffer.

In fact, it's my opinion that more slaughter plants should be opened, and run by horse enthusiasts. Yes, it'd be heartbreaking work, but then you could be sure that the plant would go to every length possible to make the event as quick, painless, and untraumatic as possible.


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## ForeverSunRider (Jun 27, 2013)

smrobs said:


> Sunrider, don't assume that all of us who are pro-slaughter are of the sentiments "WooHoo, lets go slaughter all the horses!"


My father owns and runs a slaughterhouse, I am very well adapted to the idea of a slaughterhouse. He just processes them for the pet food industry as opposed to for human consumption.

I couldn't imagine eating horse. Icky!


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## darkpony (Nov 20, 2013)

smrobs said:


> Sunrider, don't assume that all of us who are pro-slaughter are of the sentiments "WooHoo, lets go slaughter all the horses!" I am pro-slaughter simply because there is no other way to maintain a balance in the horse market and population. Right now, because there is no slaughter here in the US, there are horses standing around starving, there are horses being subjected to thousands of miles in an overstuffed trailer to go to a slaughtering house in Canada or Mexico (some of the sites in Mexico _don't_ have any oversight to ensure the horses are treated as humanely as possible), there are good horses that can't find homes, and owners are selling their good horses for a pittance.
> 
> Horses that would have been worth $2-3 thousand a decade ago are being sold for $200-300 or less. Rescues are jammed and overflowing, horses are being turned loose on public land to fend for themselves.
> 
> I don't see how _any_ of that is better than a short trip on a trailer to be quickly dispatched in a way that is as humane as possible and have the meat bringing at least _some_ money into our floundering economy. That meat might even be feeding some hungry folks who can't get meat anywhere else.


 

Literally could not have said it better myself!!


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

ForeverSunRider said:


> I couldn't imagine eating horse. Icky!


That's only because you've been culturally conditioned to find the idea distasteful. Had you grown up in a country where it's common practice you wouldn't have that reaction. Heck, had you grown up in the US anytime prior to the late 20th century, you wouldn't think it was 'icky'. 

So you're only morally opposed to humans eating horses, but having them processed for animal food is fine? Interesting.


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## Skyseternalangel (Jul 23, 2011)

Tracer said:


> bsms says it wonderfully.


You mean smrobs...


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## IRaceBarrels (Jan 21, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> That's only because you've been culturally conditioned to find the idea distasteful. Had you grown up in a country where it's common practice you wouldn't have that reaction. Heck, had you grown up in the US anytime prior to the late 20th century, you wouldn't think it was 'icky'.
> 
> So you're only morally opposed to humans eating horses, but having them processed for animal food is fine? Interesting.


I think eating horses is icky. It has nothing to do with culture and everything to do with my wormer box clearly stating 'Not for using in animals intended for human consumption'. How do they sell the meat knowing that equine products aren't tested and could be toxic for us to eat? I wouldn't in a million years feed a dog food that contains mystery meat.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Do you know how many beef cattle are injected with drugs from bottles that say "not to be used in animals intended for human consumption"? Most of them.

The thing is, unless you've worked in the cattle industry, you wouldn't know that ^^ that statement actually just means "don't shoot them up today and butcher them tomorrow". For most bovine medicines, there has been enough study to know what the withdrawal period is for the drugs they're being given. Most are 30 days, some are longer. That means that 30 days after injection, _all_ traces of the drug are out of their system.

In spite of what many animal rights groups would have people believe, traces of drugs do _not_ stay in an animal's body indefinitely. The reasoning for the label on the equine drugs is because withdrawal periods have not been set...because horses haven't been slaughtered for human consumption in the US in a long time.


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## Incitatus32 (Jan 5, 2013)

IRaceBarrels said:


> I think eating horses is icky. It has nothing to do with culture and everything to do with my wormer box clearly stating 'Not for using in animals intended for human consumption'. How do they sell the meat knowing that equine products aren't tested and could be toxic for us to eat? I wouldn't in a million years feed a dog food that contains mystery meat.


I actually just sat through a lecture on this today. The only reason that that label is on there is for legal reasons. It's a lot like the "for vet use only", wraps all have that written on them, some twitches as well, it's amazing what that's written on. Plus, most if not all vaccines have "not for animals intended for human consumption" on it. Farmers still vaccinate though, and to my knowledge no one's died because their hamburger was injected with a does of antibiotics as a calf. Smrobs is 100% right. 

I for one am put at ease a little that the plant is opening. Too many unwanted horses that are dying in more cruel ways than they would in a slaughter house. While it'd be amazing to save them all it's just impossible.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

To me horses are livestock and I am glad horses who are not suitable for work partners or pets will be used as food.

It is not illegal in this country to eat horse meat. The only thing that stopped processing horses for meat was unfunding USDA inspectors and then all of the hullaballoo created by groups who made a mountain of money tugging at heart strings.

I've eaten horsemeat most of my life. Many people I know (ranchers, breeders, hobbyists) will process a horse for one reason or another.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Personally, I really hope they'll set it up similar to how the cattle industry is run with the slaughter-bound horses being placed in a feedlot where any medications they receive will be well documented so that we can be sure they are beyond the withdrawal period. They'll also be fattened up there and shipped to slaughter once they're fat and healthy and drug free so the meat will be safe.

I really wish that they'd start selling it in supermarkets too. I wouldn't buy it simply because I don't like the taste of horsemeat, but I'm sure there are some struggling families with no special feelings toward horses that would appreciate the availability of a lean red meat that's half the price of beef.


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## Strawberry4Me (Sep 13, 2012)

This is sort of off topic... But... I once was against horse slaughter and made the mistake of telling everyone here on the forum that it was soooo awful and those poooor horses. They changed my mind real quick! And I am glad they did. Its a necessary evil, unfortunately.


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## Zexious (Aug 2, 2013)

It makes me sad, but it's a necessary evil... /sigh


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## Delfina (Feb 12, 2010)

ForeverSunRider said:


> My father owns and runs a slaughterhouse, I am very well adapted to the idea of a slaughterhouse. He just processes them for the pet food industry as opposed to for human consumption.
> 
> I couldn't imagine eating horse. Icky!


What exactly is icky about it? It's an animal that eats basically the same diet as beef cattle. 

Want to talk about "icky"?
Cash-strapped farmers feed candy to cows - Oct. 10, 2012

Cows fed candy, cookies and whatever other cheap "junk" food is available. I'm sure that makes for some wonderfully healthy meat! :shock:

I raise my own cows (no sprinkles, cookies, corn or anything even remotely junky) and I could see raising a herd of horses for food (I would want to raise them myself so I KNOW what they ate and were injected with). 

Every animal tastes a bit different. My kids routinely eat Antelope, Bison, Deer, Elk and our home-raised beef, pork, chicken and turkey. It's not in the slightest bit "icky" to them, it's just normal dinner.


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## MaximasMommy (Sep 21, 2013)

I support the slaughter of all animals for food. I'm not trying to be inflammatory here; but I started to wish the cats and dogs we put to sleep at the shelter could be used somehow. It's something where you don't want any animal to have to die in the first place, but if you realize they are going to die no matter what, then making their death mean something seems to honor the animal better.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

MaximasMommy said:


> then making their death mean something seems to honor the animal better.


 Yes. That is a sentiment that is rarely spoken. Raising cattle for beef is a responsibility I take very seriously and find it humbling.


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## 74017 (Sep 2, 2013)

1) I'm relieved a plant is opening in the West so horses don't go down to Mexico
2) I wish it was ran by horse lovers to ensure horses are treated humanely 
3) I guarantee theft of horses will rise in the Western states and I wish brand, tattoo, and microchips were reviewed and cleared before allowed to be processed. I have a microchip and it would only help if I actually found my stolen horse.
4) I'm against people trying to make a business off of breeding....bad breeding, backyard breeding, laziness of stallions with access to mares. One or two, okay, but it's crazy the amount of young healthy horses going to auction. 
5) I Wish people would get real and educated about the actual cost of owning an average horse. You don't have money to shoe, float, feed enough food to remain healthy? Okay, then don't get a horse.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

Horses don't go immediately to slaughter. They are held by the kill buyers for a period of time to help drugs leave the system. An Alberta lady became very involved with this and had the research done. It became apparent that some drugs take as long as two years. This would be more of an issue with older horses and that is why they went for dog food.


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## MN Tigerstripes (Feb 20, 2009)

Like others have said, not using horses is a cultural/learned thing more than anything else. It's hard for us to stomach eating them because we have a mythology surrounding them that makes them "different" than any other animal. That makes it a lot harder to not think about what you're doing when you're eating meat. 

I love meat in general, although I don't eat a lot of poultry because I find the way they are raised to be extremely distasteful and it's difficult for me to put it out of my mind when I'm eating it. That's not an issue I generally have with most traditional meat animals and there are many people who would feel the same way about horse meat. 

All of that being said, I probably won't buy horsemeat if it's in the store. When I was in Iceland I jumped to try horse tenderloin, I was completely on the "meat is meat" wagon. Was it delicious? Yes, beautifully grilled, nicely medium rare, tender, and seasoned with a delightful mixture of rosemary and other herbs. However, it was extremely difficult for me to get beyond the fact that I was eating one of those beautiful ponies I'd been squeeing over all day long. 

It's just a personal thing, not something that I feel the need to impose on anyone else. I really don't understand why people continuously feel the need to impose their personal beliefs and preferences on the rest of the world.


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## morganarab94 (May 16, 2013)

I am pro slaughter only because I know it's the only option and some horses are honestly better off that way... I hate the idea of it and I don't like thinking about it, but it is what it is and until someone can come up with a better idea for how to save them all then it's really the only option. It does make me happy that hopefully this plant will do things humanely and we won't be shipping to mexico as much. 
As far as the meat goes, I couldn't willingly eat it. It's just a personal thing where I just could not do it unless I was starving. Heck I can hardly eat our own beef cattle we butcher because I get so attached.:lol:


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## Houston (Apr 15, 2012)

I see horse slaughter as a necessary evil. Rather these animals be sent to a closer facility and humanely processed than being shipped to distant locations and dispatched of in questionable ways.

That said, you won't find me (intentionally) eating horse meat just like you won't find me eating dog or cat meat. Yes I eat beef, pork, lamb, venison, poultry, fish, shellfish, etc etc and sure, it's probably due to culture and my upbringing, but that's just my personal opinion on the matter. What other people eat is their business just like what I eat is mine.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

All of the horses going through our local sale barn that go to kill buyers are checked for micro chips before they are chipped by the kill buyer here. I do not know if that is true at all sale barns. I am sure there is a big gaping hole in the plan if people contact him to pick up horses at their farm and do not run them through auctions. Brands and micro chips are checked at the border. New Mexico has strict bran inspection laws, so I know brands and chips will be checked at the new plant in Roswell. I am not sure about Missouri so I do not know if they will be checked there.


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## 74017 (Sep 2, 2013)

Cherie said:


> All of the horses going through our local sale barn that go to kill buyers are checked for micro chips before they are chipped by the kill buyer here. I do not know if that is true at all sale barns. I am sure there is a big gaping hole in the plan if people contact him to pick up horses at their farm and do not run them through auctions. Brands and micro chips are checked at the border. New Mexico has strict bran inspection laws, so I know brands and chips will be checked at the new plant in Roswell. I am not sure about Missouri so I do not know if they will be checked there.


Honestly I didn't think anyone checked for microchips. I'm glad some do! We get a good amount of horses in the shelter here in socal, and horses get loose so I thought it was a good idea. It's also hard to freezebrand a light grey horse.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

All kill pen horses are micro chipped. The chips are put in to document their origin and date purchased. They will later all go into feed lots so the established with drawl times they are working on now for all drugs given to horses will be documented. 

I have been following some of the drug testing that the Universities and drug companies are working on. So far, it seems that horses clear drugs faster than cattle and other ruminants do. It also seems that, like other livestock, horses accumulate most of the drugs longer in their livers than anywhere else. Their livers are what detoxify and break down most drugs. 

I used to love beef liver. Now, I only eat liver from animals we raise and butcher. I would not touch liver from any animal I did not 'know'.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The dealers have to hold horses for a period of time to help clear drugs from the system. The plants don't have room for this. All new plants will be state of the art if they want to sell to European markets. Now all horses, like cattle have to be traceable to place of origin, etc. Cherie, maybe that's why the few times I've tried to eat liver it goes down and makes an instant return trip.


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## IRaceBarrels (Jan 21, 2012)

Incitatus32 said:


> I actually just sat through a lecture on this today. The only reason that that label is on there is for legal reasons. It's a lot like the "for vet use only", wraps all have that written on them, some twitches as well, it's amazing what that's written on. Plus, most if not all vaccines have "not for animals intended for human consumption" on it. Farmers still vaccinate though, and to my knowledge no one's died because their hamburger was injected with a does of antibiotics as a calf. Smrobs is 100% right.
> 
> I for one am put at ease a little that the plant is opening. Too many unwanted horses that are dying in more cruel ways than they would in a slaughter house. While it'd be amazing to save them all it's just impossible.


I'm really picky about the all the meat I put in my freezer. I just bought a forth of a cow. It was kill on dec 27. I met it and picked it out when it was alive. I know the people that raised it and I'm pretty sure they aren't shooting up their cattle with anything seeing as it is a small organic farm. The half a pig and chicken in there are also from local places. The same place I get my vegetables every week. The only time I eat non-organic meat is when I go out to eat. 

I know a lot of people scuff at eating this way. And that there isn't a lot of research showing that it is better for you. But I would rather not take my chances. So unless the horse meat was cheaper than beef and raised in a humane organic way I'm not about to go to Fred Meyers and pick up a rump roast for dinner. I totally support horse slaughter. There need to be people eating the meat or there won't be enough demand for it. But I'm not going to be that person. 

On a side note. Isn't their meat a little tough. My horse is 10. She is in great shape. Lots of muscle little fat. I can't imagine she would taste very good. There is a reason you don't run beef cattle into the ground when you round them up. They're finished of corn so they'll taste better. I'm not aware that horses are usually put to a feed lot before slaughter. Has anyone here eaten horse meat? Want to give a review?


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Horse meat is fine. Finer grained and a bit sweeter. I've not had it from grain fed horses, but I also eat grass finished beef usually.

I used to get it at French restaurants and the homes of French living in Detroit in the 60s when I was a bit of a street urchin. 

I've had it recently at various ranches. It is not illegal to eat horse, just no inspectors for commercial processing.


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## Hang on Fi (Sep 22, 2007)

I didn't go through the four pages worth of responses, but I'm quite content to hear a plant is opening. I'd rather a horse "suffer" for the time it takes to slaughter them, as opposed to enduring months of starvation or years of abuse. The horse market tanked after the slaughter plants closed (not that I benefit, I hate trying to sell horses). 

I do, honestly, wish they had more plants in the US. It would keep horses from being transported from longer distances in unkempt conditions to a plant in Canada, Mexico, and now NM. 

That being said, unfortunately I would hate for my horse to go to slaughter, but it has happened to me. I was maybe 15 years old. My parents forced my hand to sell my horses and all I wanted was my horse to go to a good home. She had melanoma (benign) on her tongue and throat. I sold her for a couple hundred dollars when slaughter plants were still open in the US. Guy came and picked her up in a low height stock trailer. I had no idea that someone would be so cold to buy a horse from a teenager in tears for having to give up her childhood horse.

We called them a couple times, their stories quite flaky, and eventually they stopped answering my phone calls. Undoubtedly she went to slaughter, breaks my heart, but nothing I can do about it now :/


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

I am very glad to hear that the slaughter plant has opened. While I don't like horse slaughter, the way our society is operated we need it.

Any other reports? Is it running smoothly?


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

Well, the animal rights nuts got the AG of New Mexico to file for an injunction to halt the opening of it. He is running for Governor and everyone said he did this for points with the city people there who do not have a clue. After all, like everywhere else, it sounds go to be against killing horses.

The judge heard it last Friday and granted a 10 day injunction for both sides (the AG and the lawyers for the plant operator). They are supposed to present their cases then and the judge will decide whether or not to issue a permanent injunction.

The AG is claiming that the plant is environmentally unsafe for water supplies and that the meat will be toxic. 

In all reality, this is a small plant and probably not the best example of a good slaughter facility. What would be best would be for a brand new plant to be built in a sparsely populated area in the TX or OK panhandles near where they already process millions of cattle and hogs. They process over 34 million cattle a year and you do not hear about pollution or environmental problems from them. 

Right now, no one is going to invest in a nice, new plant until these little plants settle the argument of whether they can exist or not. The one thing in favor of stalling is that ther evidence become more clear that there is a huge unwanted horse problem (something the HSUS has said was untrue and made up by pro-slaughter people) and that something MUST be done with them.

The other thing that stalling is helping is that the drug companies and several Universities are currently testing elimination of drugs. Ironically, they are finding that drugs are cleared MUCH faster from horses than from cattle. They have been running tests on Bute because it keeps coming up and it in all of the protests. They are finding that the half life of Bute is only a matter of a few hours in a horse.

Once all of these results are in, they are going to lose one of their biggest arguments. When all of the testing is done, horse drugs will be labeled with withdrawal times just like cattle drugs are. There are actually 2 or 3X as many cattle drugs on the market than there are drugs labeled for horses.

Laboratories are also testing meat and blood and organ samples. It seems that drug testing on these takes less than 48 hours, so meat is still hanging when test results come back, so any meat with traces of a drug can be pulled before it is cut up.

As long as any Federal Legislation can be stalled that stops all horse transport and slaughter, it will eventually happen. If there is a Federal ban, the plants in Mexico and Canada will still be able to operate. They will just have to use Canadian and Mexican buyers and they will fall under NAFTA -- not that anyone can dispute what someone 'says' they are buying the horses for.

We have also heard from the local sale barn owner that they are re-opening the 20,000 head horse feedlot in Morton, Texas. This will be the main feedlot to hold and feed horses until any traces of drugs is undetectable. Once all of the laboratory testing is done, they think the EU will agree to import tested meat. Right now, the meat coming from the US has the same incidence of trace drugs that local EU meat has that supposedly has lived under the 'passport' system all of their lives.

I have links to the drug testing going on and to the AAEP Vets' inspection of the Mexican plant that they declare is handling and processing horses humanely and holds to any standards they would support.

I have been watching the Sante Fe and Albuquerque papers on line. I will let you know when anything changes.


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## Dreamcatcher Arabians (Nov 14, 2010)

And in the meantime we keep seeing this: 



















This is just so much better than sending a horse to slaughter.


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## CowboyBob (Feb 11, 2013)

Kittenkittenkitten said:


> 1) I'm relieved a plant is opening in the West so horses don't go down to Mexico
> 2) I wish it was ran by horse lovers to ensure horses are treated humanely
> *3) I guarantee theft of horses will rise in the Western states and I wish brand, tattoo, and microchips were reviewed and cleared before allowed to be processed. I have a microchip and it would only help if I actually found my stolen horse.*
> 4) I'm against people trying to make a business off of breeding....bad breeding, backyard breeding, laziness of stallions with access to mares. One or two, okay, but it's crazy the amount of young healthy horses going to auction.
> 5) I Wish people would get real and educated about the actual cost of owning an average horse. You don't have money to shoe, float, feed enough food to remain healthy? Okay, then don't get a horse.



Where do you get your information?? I live in Montana a "brand state". Do you live in a brand state? There is no way I could sell a horse without brand papers unless I did it under the table privet sale. Any public sale at action or at a slaughter plant there are brand inspectors. I have to prove that I have ownership of the horse to sell it, to get the brand papers I have to take a bill of sale from the owner along with the owners brand papers to prove they have the right to sell me the horse. without it I can't sell or transport that horse outside county lines. If I take my horse outside county lines I have to take my brand papers with me or I can be stopped and ticketed. 

I have heard this argument before and I just don't see it being true. Now if you live in a non-brand state then sure I could see that being true but any state that has brand inspections it is going to be hard to take a horse and try to sell it directly to a slaughter plant.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

It is just part of the animal rights propaganda that she has bought into. We did not see any difference in stealing when US plants were open or closed. We did see a HUGE difference in neglect and abuse when the value went down.

Right now, people are having to calve out in their yards. A baby calf is worth $300.00 or more and a cow is worth over $1200.00. Why would anyone bother with horses? They are too easy to find and trace and identify.


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## 74017 (Sep 2, 2013)

Cherie said:


> It is just part of the animal rights propaganda that she has bought into. We did not see any difference in stealing when US plants were open or closed.


Propaganda? I live in Southern California and have read that, according to numbers obtained from the California Livestock and Identification Bureau, since horse slaughter was banned in California horse theft has dropped by over 34%.

So maybe the facts are all wrong. Or maybe their not.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Kittenkittenkitten said:


> Propaganda? I live in Southern California and have read that, according to numbers obtained from the California Livestock and Identification Bureau, since horse slaughter was banned in California horse theft has dropped by over 34%.
> 
> So maybe the facts are all wrong. Or maybe their not.


It would appear that your information possibly came from the horse fund dot org horse slaughter fact sheet page. No citation for their claim was given.

I share your concern for optimal care for horses. We just differ on whether it is ethical for horses to be used as food.


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## 74017 (Sep 2, 2013)

boots said:


> It would appear that your information possibly came from the horse fund dot org horse slaughter fact sheet page. No citation for their claim was given.
> 
> I share your concern for optimal care for horses. We just differ on whether it is ethical for horses to be used as food.


Actually I never said I was against slaughter or if I was against using horses for food. If it's done humanely and the conditions in transit were adequate I have no problem. I forget if its France or Spain but a long time ago I read an article about who horses were raised for food and the rules for transit were very strict...I think that's ideal. What's more of a problem to me is over breeding, and people who are not responsible pet owners...I have a serious problem with people who have a horse for years, a horse who has toted their butts around the arena or taken care of their children in the saddle, suddenly not having enough money for a dignified ending when their horse comes up lame. We are all entitled to our opinions.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

Kitten, most of Europe breed horses for meat. The UK is the only one where eating horse meat is not common.
All horses in Europe should now be microchipped and passported to ensure that prohibited drugs dont get into the food chain.
Most drugs are prescription only or have to be administered by a vet (including vaccines) a vet will not administer drugs without writing it in the passport. and for certain drugs you have to sign the horse permanantly out of the food chain.

Transport rules are strict but often flouted hence the UK now has a policy where no horse can be exported for slaughter (you now have to prove a minimum value and have a full vet health check to export a horse which woud make it uneconomical to export live for slaughter), we would far rather slaughter horses in the UK where we can control the conditions and ensure it is humane. 

Horsemeat is quite nice and tender, slightly sweeter than beef but has a very short shelf life.

My horse is signed out of the food chain permanantly due to the radioactive isotope he was given when he had a bone scan.


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## Clava (Nov 9, 2010)

My vet insists on all their horses on his books being signed out of the food chain.


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