AIBU to ask why it’s unacceptable to eat Veal, but Lamb is fine?

[Wills]

I’ve just returned from a holiday in France where Veal is as common as Lamb yet back here Veal is a big no no but lamb is acceptable? I’m not keen on Beef or Veal, just interested in what the difference is in terms of eating baby animals?

It is in the UK. Even from "red-tractor" approved places.

Animals may not understand death like humans do, but they definitely fear being rounded up and slaughtered. Have you not seen the videos of them trying to escape?

No not immediately because they produce colostrum too like human mammals, typically calves feed off the mother until the colostrum is gone.

So the difference is that one is given a nice life before they're murdered and the other gets tortured first?

Yes. One is reared suitably and one is treated cruelly. Both animals are slaughtered.

Should we not bother them, and treat all animals in the cheapest (most horrible) way? Of course welfare standards make a difference. Meat isn't going out of fashion anytime soon.

I'd much rather an animal is treated well in its life. But we're all different, eh.

@FoodCentre
Wouldn't it be far better if neither were acceptable?
Yes, you're right, one is slightly more palatable than the other.

@squareyedannie if neither were acceptable, then the animal wouldn’t have a life at all. Maybe it’s a philosophical position about whether not existing is better than living a nice life (and then dying - like every living creature) v living a tortured life. Welfare standards make a huge difference.

Animals behave in the same way when they are being rounded up to go into a nice warm barn to be fed

They aren’t trying to escape the slaughterhouse because they know it’s a slaughter house and they are about to die.
They are trying to escape because that’s what they do

It is beyond stupid to think they can comprehend the concept of what a slaughter house is for and why they are there

Exactly this. My dog is terrified of the vet and shows real fear when he has to go. Doesn’t mean I don’t take him.

Animals will show fear in unfamiliar environments for that reason only. There is much that can be done to mitigate this in abbatoirs - look at the work of Temple Grandin. Her research and proposals are now widespread.

The reality for the majority of farm animals in this country is that actually their death is quick, painless and much better than that of wild creatures (eg deer in the UK which aren’t shot starve to death when their teeth wear down and they can’t chew food, due to the lack of wolves and other natural predators). Slaughter legislation and welfare has made massive progress even in the last ten years. Our goal now should be to eliminate many of the poor practices in factory farms which compromise welfare - which incidentally do not apply to lambs or British veal. Chickens and pigs are the most concerning from a welfare point of view. I don’t buy factory farmed chicken or pork, only free-range, but it’s not the slaughter which stops me buying the factory farmed meat.