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.
