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| 1/4/2007 9:51:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article
Comment on this article | Letter: Not all beef producers support horse slaughter
Regarding the letter "Horse slaughter ban good for beef farmers".
I raise beef cattle and own horses and I oppose slaughtering horses for human consumption. Closing horse slaughter facilities would have no impact on my beef production or sales. I myself eat beef. I don't eat horsemeat.
You would think that associations of horse breeders and beef cattle ranchers would get this distinction, but they don't. It's up to the small farmer/rancher, like me, individual horse owners, and consumers to make it clear. This is not an "animal rights" issue. Horses are not cattle.
Many people who raise cattle are not in favor of horse slaughter - so those of you who do eat beef can certainly find beef producers like me who oppose horse slaughter. Please don't blame all beef producers for the sins of the big organizations.
Not everyone who owns a Quarter Horse favors horse slaughter because the American Quarter Horse Association defends it...and not everyone who raises beef cattle favors horse slaughter because some national organization of beef producers defends it.
Elizabeth Moon
Waco, Tx
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Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, January 11, 2007
Article comment by:
Dawn Mancina
Thank you for your article and for reinforcing the view held by most Americans that horses are not livestock. Horses have been taught to trust man and serve man in a way no other "livestock" animal has. They must be differentiated from other livestock in end of life situations - and given the end of life dignity that other companion animals receive. Slaughter is not and should not be considered an acceptable end of life option for this particular animal.
Dawn Mancina
http://campaigningforbarbaromi.blogspot.com/
Posted: Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Article comment by:
Karen Holverson
Thank you ,Elizabeth, for speaking up.I think eating beef has nothing to do with protecting horses from slaughter.
I think we are talking apples and flowers.We eat apples but flowers serve a whole other purpose.Beef and Horses
Beef we eat
horses a whole other purpose
Posted: Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Article comment by:
Merrigay Schroer
Thank you, Elizabeth, for a voice of reason. Although I am neither a farmer nor a rider, I can certainly see the distinction between cattle and horses. There are no herds of horses being raised for food in the U.S. Slaughter facilities do indeed serve only the irresponsible owners and breeders as well as putting millions of tax free dollars in foreign coffers.
Posted: Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Article comment by:
C.J. Oakwood
Apparently Ms Moon does not understand the economics of banning the processing of horses. We do not refer to beef processing as "beef slaughter' why should we refer to horse processing as "horse slaughter". Both involve the killing of animals for meat. Give me a break.......
Posted: Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Article comment by:
Susan
Excellent letters and I concur. I grew up spending summers, holidays and many visits to my grandparents dairy farm. There were pigs, cows, chickens and later when my uncle had the farm he had a pony for the kids to ride. My Mom used to ride a senior horse named Jack to school in Alberta, CA with her sister. That horse took good care of them. She speaks of him fondly. She and I do not remember any particular cow, pig or chicken but I now own 4 horses and have a friendship that rivals any other relationship with my other pets. I hug my horses, one doesn't like it when I do that in front of his friends, the others don't mind. They have incredible personalities, interact with me and my grandkids. They are not cows.
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