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Original poster

Not a veggie but want to buy "humane" meat

21 replies

EHmum · 09/04/2006 15:18

I went veggie for a few months once but changed my mind when i considered what would happen to all the animals and the environment if we all went veggie - but I want to buy meat from animals that have been looked after well.

I buy freedom food eggs from Asda or Morrisons, and yellow chicken from Sainsburys (corn fed - also freedom food) or from my butcher who assures me his chicken is not from battery raised birds (the chicken breast fillets are huge - not like the scrawny supermarket battery ones). He has told me the name of the farm he gets them from but I haven't checked it out yet so I suppose he could tell me anything.

The other meats we mainly eat are pork and beef - does anyone know if there are any welfare issues with cows and pigs due to intensive farming? I think I have read that pigs can be raised in bad conditions sometimes but don't know much about it.

Does anyone else feel strongly about this? Can you offer any advice about how to find out about livestock welfare so I can buy with confidence?

OP posts:
Hausfrau · 09/04/2006 15:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

zippitippitoes · 09/04/2006 15:25

there are quite a few online butchers with traceable products

iota · 09/04/2006 15:36

buy organic - see \link{http://www.graigfarm.co.uk/beef.htm\here} for an example of how organic beef is reared

Original poster
EHmum · 09/04/2006 15:47

Thanks for the link - I had looked at some internet sites before and emailed one to ask about welfare but they didn't get back to me so I didn't place an order.

As meat from these sites is so much more expensive I wanted to be sure that it is necessary to part with all that cash to be sure that the animals are well looked after. In general is there the same issue with pigs and cows as there is with battery chickens? If you treated your pets at home like battery chickens you'd probably be locked up - I can't believe we accept it in this country Angry.

Also has anyone ever placed a mail order with one of these sites - is the meat always in good condition when it arrives?

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 09/04/2006 15:54

I feel quite strongly about this, but am too lazy to investigate it all thoroughly Blush.
Instead I assauge my conscience by buying organic and/or free-range meat and eggs, or, failing that, meat from Waitrose that is at least farm-traceable.
I'd love to shop at farmer's markets, independent butchers etc, but I just can't get to them.
(DH has asked me to add that he doesn't give a stuff about animal welfare but always buys free-range / organic because it tastes so much better. So everyone wins)

Sorry this isn't much practical help, but thought it might help to know that someone else is impressed with your efforts!

iota · 09/04/2006 15:55

Pigs are often reared intensively - see \link{http://www.wspa-international.org/site/index.php?page=1455\here} fror description.

I buy free-range or organic from the supermarket- have never bought online.

Waitrose have their own farm \link{http://www.waitrose.com/about/leckfordestate/afarmofourown.asp\leckford estate}

zippitippitoes · 09/04/2006 15:56

I think there is a big issue with pigs and as a geneeral rule lambs/sheep are most naturally looked after because they can't be kept inside

iota · 09/04/2006 15:56

x post with Mrs B

Original poster
EHmum · 09/04/2006 16:08

MrsBadger, I could see myself having a really good row with your husband!!! Sadly my dh is the same Sad
I'm not normally a person who gets angry about things but since I've had children I feel strongly about animal welfare and the environment - I may be turning into a hippy - dh thinks it's wierd. Unfortunately i find it hard to put words into action as it's so easy to get into the car to go to work [although when we bought the car we made sure it was very economical - good for me because of the environment and good for dh because his is tight!)
So don't worry i started thinking about this years ago and still haven't done that much about it - advice from this thread will hopefully galvanise me into action.

OP posts:
Original poster
EHmum · 09/04/2006 16:14

These links are great, and interesting about sheep - I have to say i think lamb chops are gorgeous but feel so guilty about it because they don't have a long life. Don't think we have a waitrose - do they do "up north"?

OP posts:
Laura032004 · 09/04/2006 17:14

I think the issues with intensively reared pork and beef are more pressing than intensively reared chicken. Mainly because they live longer in that state IYKWIM. Luckily for us because we live in ruralish Cornwall, buying direct from farms is quite easy. I'd buy organic 'happy' pork and beef over chicken if I had to compromise. This may be completely the wrong approach though :)

zippitippitoes · 09/04/2006 17:16

even though I've already posted just came back and read it as human meat Grin

Original poster
EHmum · 09/04/2006 17:22

Am more and more concerned reading your replies- will definitely make a change in my buying - or speak to my butcher to get some reassurance if possible.

zippytoes I had a good belly laugh at that one Grin

OP posts:
Mercy · 09/04/2006 17:51

I thought that pigs reared in the UK had a OK lifestyle compared to those reared in Denmark and the Netherlands (?) SO yes buy locally/UK produced bacon, sausages etc.

Also, UK reared lamb surely is better than 'food miles' NZ lamb.

Don't really know about farmers markets/local butchers - just because they can name the farm the meat comes from, does it necessarily equal organic??

MrsBadger · 09/04/2006 18:14

named farm doesn't equal organic, but tif they know where it's from at least you can ask about conditions there etc, unlike PFYs in Tesco etc who have no clue even what country the beef comes from.

MrsBadger · 09/04/2006 18:15

oh, and food miles is a whole other guilt trip... no more mangoes for the Badgers Sad

Piffle · 09/04/2006 18:20

I buy pork, beef and chicken from our local farmers market
the pigs I know are well housed and ethically and humanely killed - they are kille don site to minimise the travel trauma. The also never kill unweaned animals.
Also the same for the poultry - in fact our xmas turkey was named Cyril and we got a little letter when we picked him up telling us how he liked to roost and fly :) It is our local organic farm and they adore their animals.
They also supply the beef which they breed themeselves and also never transport to kill.
It makes me feel a lot bettr tbh...
A lot of the met is local are breed - Lincoln Red Beef etc

Piffle · 09/04/2006 18:20

is local RARE breed Blush

zippitippitoes · 09/04/2006 18:24

I think that to be humane doesn't necessarily have to always be organic, it depends on the care of the animals not per se the organic principles

Piffle · 09/04/2006 18:33

Quite true, I guess free range is a basic necessity though for happy animals.
Our local farm happens to be organic for beef, but pigs. chooks and lamb are free range ethically bred and humnaely killed.

suedonim · 09/04/2006 22:46

If you're interested in meat then \link{http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0340826355/203-4548806-0349559\this book} by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is excellent. He also has his own website, \link{http://www.rivercottage.net/index.jsp\River Cottage.}

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