How to Improve Farm Animal Welfare
Like it or not, the fact is that most people in England are not vegan (or vegetarian). So it’s super-important to focus on ideas to help our barnyard friends, who do sadly end up on the dinner table.
England has better farm animal welfare laws than most, but that’s quite shocking. As outside the certified organic free-range labels, there is lots to improve.
In Switzerland, Tilda is a cow who became national news, when she make a dramatic bid for freedom, from the truck carrying her to be slaughtered.
Swiss animal welfare artist Chantal Kaufmann made images from the photos that passers-by took. Tilda now lives in a sanctuary (that’s her above, the artist paying a visit).
What was surprising however, was the on hearing of the escape, the slaughterhouse manager was happy – and helped to transport Tilda to her new home. Showing perhaps that underneath, nobody really wants to do this job?
Matilda (the escapee pregnant pig)
When Pigs Escape is a non-profit documentary (contact to host a free public screening) that tells the story of Matilda, a pregnant pig who escaped an abattoir, by digging under a fence, while in a temporary outdoor enclosure (this happened at the same time as 40 cows made a bid for freedom in the US, though only two were saved).
The pig put in Matilda’s nose (to stop her digging) is now removed. She now lives happily in a farm sanctuary with her piglets!
How ‘Transfarmation’ Helps Barnyard Friends
The Swiss Transfarmation movement is a pretty exciting prospect, which removes the age-old ‘vegans vs farmers’ wars. Today with many people going plant-based, long-held family farms are in trouble (there is a high rate of suicide, as livestock and dairy sales plummet).
So this organisation does not judge. Instead, it offers training to help farmers make better income from new crops (say oats, a hugely profitable market, as presently most oat milk is imported). Farmers can then sell local plant drinks in returnable glass bottles.
The farmers make better income, they get to pass on their farms to relatives, and remaining animals live out their lives in peace, akin to a farm sanctuary. And no, they won’t go extinct if not over-bred, young animals will still be born, just in far fewer numbers.
If you have questions about farming without ‘farm’ animals, contact us. We are happy to advise, with no obligation. The goal is for you to be true to your self. Transfarmation
The site has wonderful stories of farmers who gave up farming animals to inspire. These include:
- A couple of beef farmers who run an organic permaculture farm and vegan cooking school.
- A Swiss couple who now grow oats on their farm.
- Another Swiss couple who grow chickpeas, to make local hummus!
Does ‘Humane Slaughter’ Exist?
We all hear the marketing of animals that have have been ‘humanely-raised’. This is true if the creatures are certified free-range. This means they had good lives, only coming inside when necessary, and generally being treated well by expert farmers.
But of course (even if using local abattoirs), an animal’s instinct is to live. So not only is the journey to the abattoir stressful, but of course killing any animal is never humane (even before stunning, the creatures are likely terrified, knowing what is about to happen).
And a lot of stunning goes wrong (and many laws let animals stay conscious for up to a couple of minutes, before they die).
One farmer (who grew up in India) drove his sheep to abattoirs for years. One day a few years back, he could not do it anymore. About to make £9,000 from selling lambs for meat, he instead drove 200 miles to an animal sanctuary, and rehomed them. Staff at the sanctuary send him photos!
A few years ago, a lorry accident ended up with pigs being injured on the roadside. But rather than being put to sleep or rehomed to sanctuaries, they were put back on the lorry (injured and traumatised), and sent to the abattoir, at the request of the supermarket, to ensure profit.
And this was a ‘high-end better welfare’ supermarket.
Meet a Middle Eastern (vegan) Prince!
A controversial law in England is that of religious slaughter, when animals are not stunned, in accordance with laws for the Jewish and Islamic faiths. Veterinary experts at Compassion in World Farming say this causes immense suffering.
The fact is that it’s perfectly possible for both faiths to be vegan, so no ritual slaughter is needed. It may be religious ‘law’ if you eat meat, but you don’t actually have to eat meat. So this can keep everyone happy, without breaking any faith traditions. Here are some helpers:
Prince Khaled bin alwaleed (above) is so passionate about the vegan lifestyle, he invests heavily in vegan brands. He previously lived a party-boy lifestyle with meat and several cars, and is now a simple-living plant-based environmentalist, his dad has even gone vegan!
Compassion in World Farming says that many ‘Halal’ meats are from stunned animals (so not compliant). While some supermarkets sell Halal meat, without labelling it properly. So people buy it, not realising that it comes from animals that were not stunned.
Jewish Plant-Based Recipes
Before cooking, read up on kitchen safety for people & pets.
After Germany, Israel has more vegans by ratio, than anywhere on earth.
- Mayim’s Vegan Table is a cookbook from Mayim Bialik, who plays a nerdy scientist in The Big Bang Theory. She’s as brainy in real life (degrees in neuroscience, Hebrew & Jewish studies).
- Isa Chandra Moskowitz is a sassy New Yorker, who began her career with a tiny cable TV show from her kitchen. This led to a cookbook deal, and she’s now a best-selling cookbook author.
- The Jewish Vegan is a recipe blog with recipes for Passover.
- Jewish Veg offers recipes by holiday (Hanukkah to Yum Kippur) and encourages to avoid animal skins for Torah scrolls. Watch the video Shalolom Begins On Your Plate.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים הִנֵּה֩ נָתַ֨תִּי לָכֶ֜ם אֶת־כׇּל־עֵ֣ש זֹרֵ֣עַ זֶ֗רַע אֲשֶׁר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כׇל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְאֶת־כׇּל־הָעֵ֛ץ אֲשֶׁר־בּ֥וֹ פְרִי־עֵ֖ץ זֹרֵ֣עַ זָ֑רַע לָכֶ֥ם יִֽהְיֶ֖ה לְאׇכְלָֽה׃
We pasted this (we don’t speak Hebrew!). It’s the Bible phrase:
Then God said: ‘I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth. And every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. Genesis 1:29
Islamic Plant-Based Recipes
- Vegan Middle East and One Arab Vegan are nice recipe blogs, proving that this popular cuisine is suitable for Muslims worldwide. Also read our post on vegan middle Eastern recipes.
- Plant Based Arab is another nice recipe blog, by a man who is a part-Syrian Palestinian, born in Jordan. His site offers Ramadan recipes, and an e-book of Middle Eastern Recipes.
- Middle East Vegan Society is an organisation to support businesses transition to plant-based. It has info on being a vegan Muslim, a country guide and its own V-label certification (already used for over 50,000 products in over 30 countries).
Allah (God) will not give mercy to anyone, except those who give mercy to other creatures. Prophet Mohammed
