Humane Slaughtering
Human slaughtering became a law in the United States with the 1958 Humane Slaughter Act, intended to prevent the needless suffering of livestock during slaughter. Eisenhower signed this bill into action on August 27, and it required all packers selling to the government to provide anesthetization or instant stunning by mechanical or electrical means prior to the killing of cattle, calves, horses, mules, and other livestock (bio.com, 2015). Temple Grandin, an expert on animal behavior and the welfare of livestock, has designed humane handling systems for over half of the slaughter houses in the United States. Born in Boston, Grandin was diagnosed with autism as a child and it has been a part of her life ever since.
"Autism is part of who I am." - Temple Grandin
"Nature is cruel, but we don't have to be." - Temple Grandin
Grandin began to speak at age 4 and social interactions between her and others during middle and high school remained strenuous. Despite these disadvantages, Grandin excelled academically. She earned a degree in psychology from Franklin Pierce in 1970 followed by a master's in animal science from Arizona State University and a doctoral degree in animal science from the University of Illinois (bio.com, 2015). In addition to autism advocacy, Grandin is a strong proponent of animal welfare. Her two books, Animals In Translation and Animals Make Us Human gave her a rise to fame. Grandin has been recognized for her work: in 2009, she was named a fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. On top of that nomination, she has also received other honorary degrees and has been featured in numerous television programs and talk shows. Grandin is an exceptional human being and an incredibly intriguing one at that. Even though she must adapt to the way autism shapes her daily life, Grandin is an erudite intellectual with solutions to some of the nation's most threatening problems.
Grandin's journey began on her aunt's ranch with the cows when she realized that she could empathize with the creatures. Like cows, Grandin says that she was spooked by impulsive movements and she understood that "an unfamiliar object in a cow's line of vision as it proceeds through the chute would scare it and stop the cow in its tracks" (Modern Farmer Media, 2015). During grad school, she visited the slaughterhouses to analyze the practices. In the '80s, Grandin comments that the practices were "very bad" while the '90s were "atrocious" (Modern Farmer Media, 2015). Today, over half of the cattle in the USA are using Grandin's handheld designs. A meateater herself, Grandin dedicates her life to safe and humane practices of animal slaughter, since it is very possible.
Grandin's journey began on her aunt's ranch with the cows when she realized that she could empathize with the creatures. Like cows, Grandin says that she was spooked by impulsive movements and she understood that "an unfamiliar object in a cow's line of vision as it proceeds through the chute would scare it and stop the cow in its tracks" (Modern Farmer Media, 2015). During grad school, she visited the slaughterhouses to analyze the practices. In the '80s, Grandin comments that the practices were "very bad" while the '90s were "atrocious" (Modern Farmer Media, 2015). Today, over half of the cattle in the USA are using Grandin's handheld designs. A meateater herself, Grandin dedicates her life to safe and humane practices of animal slaughter, since it is very possible.
Safe Slaughter Practices
STUNNING: the process of rendering animals immobile or unconscious, without killing the animal, prior to their being slaughtered for food.
- Better meat quality
- The animal feels no pain
- If done properly, the animal will produce a still carcass that is safe for workers to work on
1) CO2 Stunning
2) Electrical Stunning
3) Captive Bolt Stunning