Australian Beef - A huge threat to U.K. farmers

Anser to Witzend: I don't have reliable statistics for Danish bacon production but I didn't raise a concern about this. I don't eat pork in any shape or form but can only presume that since we import Danish pork products we must think they meet our standards.

I think animal welfare is very important. Unfortunately in many societies money is considered more important and poor treatment of animals is acceptable as long as cheap meat is on the counter.

You seem to be doing what I am. I eat little meat but I'm lucky to have an excellent butcher in my neighbourhood where I occasionally buy British beef and lamb.

MawBe

MaizieD

I did google 'mulesing'. It is barbaric and it doesn't happen in the UK.

Interesting blog post here about sheep care in the UK

www.woolsack.org/welfare

As Kali's unfortunate typo was made when she was referring to 'muscleing' (sp?) it applies to cattle.

What a comfort that you know what Kali2 was talking about and can answer for her

And as I perhaps I would not have ventured (however tactfully) to point out elsewhere, I would agree that muscling probably does not have an “e” in it.

It was obvious what she was talking about, MawB, as we were discussing cattle. But people leapt to the attack before she had a chance to correct her typo.

I would just like to say that the quality of NZ meat is very high we have plenty of space to feed our stock fully on grass and we have no need to barn the stock in the winter.
Our standards are very high we don’t have mulesing, antibiotics are not used routinely. Growth hormones are banned for use on NZ sheep and use with beef is less than 1%
Not sure where you are getting you information from.
As NZ stock is fully grass fed it is also more sustainable. In regards to shipping miles sending goods long distance by boat is also a relatively sustainable option.
I agree transportation of live animals is unnecessary and cruel NZ has just banned it.
As far as I know Australian meat is also of a high standard.
I can understand anyone who wants to eat local produce I do as much as possible, unfortunately it isn’t always the cheapest option.

it was obvious what she was talking about, MawB, as we were discussing cattle. But people leapt to the attack before she had a chance to correct her typo

I wasn’t aware that anybody “leapt” to anything, MaizieD - I asked a perfectly reasonable question in an equally reasonable way.

Ever heard of museling?
No, Kali2 - what does that mean?

MawBe

^it was obvious what she was talking about, MawB, as we were discussing cattle. But people leapt to the attack before she had a chance to correct her typo^

I wasn’t aware that anybody “leapt” to anything, MaizieD - I asked a perfectly reasonable question in an equally reasonable way.

Ever heard of museling?
No, Kali2 - what does that mean?

Oh, sorry. The reference to 'Swiss breakfast' was completely insignificant too, I suppose...

Muesli - as you clearly didn’t get it !

Weirder and weirder.

Must say I had never heard about it either, and was extrememely shocked by the photos- and got the spelling wrong.

I think it was fair to include sheep farming in this thread, as it is just as threatened by current negotitions with OZ, and possibly NZ.

You won't get any nice dripping from Aussie beef and that to me isn't natural. You shouldn't have to add fat when cooking decent beef.
A good piece of rib beef is the tastiest you can get and will leave enough for dripping toast for breakfast.
Fillet is delicious. but the flavour isn't there because there's no fat.

Totally agree- for me a British aged rib is the best food ever.

Not sure where you are getting you information from.
Me neither, Jumblygran

People who've never been to Australia and NZ perhaps?

All Australian Beef and Lamb is Halal as is all New Zealand Lamb according to several Google sites.

Yes Grannygravy that is true as both send meat to the Muslim countries. The animals are stunned first and then killed by halal methods therefore they feel no pain.

I'm not sure why EU meat standards are considered to be superior to those of NZ and Australia - factory farmed Danish bacon anyone?

However, because UK food standards are higher than those of Denmark pigs for the UK market were reared separately to a UK specification

UK Investigators from Compassion in World Farming found 80 per cent of farms across five European countries engaging in illegal practices such as barren pens and routine tail-docking.

There certainly are farms in the U.K. which do not meet legal welfare standards, there are animal organisations which have video evidence, as well as in abbatoirs where there are some disgusting practices- animals kicked and tormented, cows having their tails cut with bolt cutters to make them move along the kill line - No one is ever prosecuted as it would damage the industry too much.

vegansrock

There certainly are farms in the U.K. which do not meet legal welfare standards, there are animal organisations which have video evidence, as well as in abbatoirs where there are some disgusting practices- animals kicked and tormented, cows having their tails cut with bolt cutters to make them move along the kill line - No one is ever prosecuted as it would damage the industry too much.

Those caught breaking welfare standards do get prosecuted, more importantly if you loose your assured certification you can’t sell your produce. Or if the supermarket you are supplying get a complaint you will loose the contract and quite likely put you out of business.
OK farmers aren’t perfect but only fools break the rules, even failing to record movements or treatments is a serious issue.

Which farms vegansrock ?
UK animal ( farm) welfare is very high.Exactly what Katie say above.

vegansrock

There certainly are farms in the U.K. which do not meet legal welfare standards, there are animal organisations which have video evidence, as well as in abbatoirs where there are some disgusting practices- animals kicked and tormented, cows having their tails cut with bolt cutters to make them move along the kill line - No one is ever prosecuted as it would damage the industry too much.

(I am only giving my knowledge of beef and sheep farming- I have no experience of poultry or pigs)
Farms that do not meet welfare standards would be very much the minority, the same as it is the minority of people who are cruel to their pets. Antis have an agenda which is to show the worst possible situations and then to try to tarnish the whole of the farming industry.
When I take my lambs to the abattoir there are signs on the unloading bay to say that voices mustn’t be raised, animals mustn’t be prodded or manhandled and the animals must be moved in a manner that doesn’t cause unnecessary stress. There are cctv cameras everywhere and there is always a vet on site. We are able to book tours to watch the whole slaughter process (I haven’t, but other farmers I have spoken to have and have been impressed at the professionalism of the workers involved and the calmness of the livestock). One study measured the heart rate of the lambs on the conveyor and it was the same as a lamb resting. Abattoirs nowadays are extremely highly regulated with very complex legislation. This has resulted in many, many smaller abattoirs having to close which is a positive move in many respects but it does result in there being far fewer abattoirs and therefore animals have to, in general, travel further. (Transportation of livestock also has very stringent regulations regarding animal welfare standards). Videos ( often highly edited) posted by antis tend to be ‘backstreet, unregulated slaughter houses - not the norm by any means.

The voice of reason Sheepandcattle thank you for your post. It’s good to have an informed debate on a topic.

Exactly, which is why we want to make sure our local farms survive- and that we can keep an eye and know what happens here. And not destroy it and allow imports from so far away- where we can't, and where growth hormones and antibiotics can be fed to them, and where awful practices as described above do not happen.

Mulesing - just awful.

Sheepandcattle
Thanks.

I have seen photos of animals being "released" from their extensive pastures in Australia only to be mauled and perhaps killed by dingoes or mauled and left to die.

Kali2

Exactly, which is why we want to make sure our local farms survive- and that we can keep an eye and know what happens here. And not destroy it and allow imports from so far away- where we can't, and where growth hormones and antibiotics can be fed to them, and where awful practices as described above do not happen.

^where awful practices as described above do not happen.

Mulesing may be carried out on Merino sheep. The alternative is worse.
Merino sheep are farmed for their fleeces.
Do you wear wool garments?
Or do you wear ecologically harmful acrylic?
Have you seen a sheep die from fly strike?
Have you ever been to an Australian cattle or sheep station?

Callistemon

Kali2

Exactly, which is why we want to make sure our local farms survive- and that we can keep an eye and know what happens here. And not destroy it and allow imports from so far away- where we can't, and where growth hormones and antibiotics can be fed to them, and where awful practices as described above do not happen.

^where awful practices as described above do not happen.

Mulesing may be carried out on Merino sheep. The alternative is worse.
Merino sheep are farmed for their fleeces.
Do you wear wool garments?
Or do you wear ecologically harmful acrylic?
Have you seen a sheep die from fly strike?
Have you ever been to an Australian cattle or sheep station?

And castration and tail cropping without anaesthetic, Callistomen Can you justify them, too?

Mulesing - oh not THIS again.

‘Just put me in a coma now’.