How is Pork Really Made?
“More than 116 million pigs, intelligent and highly social animals, are slaughtered annually in the United States.”(The Humane Society) The following passages are from the book Food, Ethics, and Society; an article from the Humane Society of the USA. Because of the nature of the facts, I have quoted most of this blog for the hope of sharing with you the pure facts of how pigs are treated in U.S. Industrial Agriculture.
Living Conditions & Cages
“In industrial pig production, sows (adult female pigs) are customarily put through consecutive cycles of impregnation, giving birth, and nursing, all while intensively confined. During their four-month pregnancies, approximately 80% of sows are kept in stalls—individual metal “gestation crates” that are 0.6 m (2 ft) wide and 2.1 m (7 ft) long81—so small, the animals are unable to turn around.”(The Humane Society) This was something I could not even fathom. The pigs so cramped together that they would not even be able to turn around for their entire life. The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service reported that “Confining pregnant sows in stalls… curtails movement and social interaction and fails to provide dirt or hay to satisfy their instincts to use their snouts to root for food.”(The Humane Society) The article goes on to say that most other countries have banned this type of confinement, except the United States. Why do you think the USA lags far behind other countries when it comes to animal welfare?
The article goes on to say that, “right before giving birth, the sows are moved into equally restrictive ‘farrowing crates,’ stalls designed to separate the mother pig from her nursing piglets, to protect them from crushing, but are so small she can only stand up and lie down. After the piglets are weaned prematurely, the cycle begins again for the mother pig, who averages 2.1-2.5 litters each year. Once they can no longer reproduce efficiently, the sows are sent to slaughter.”(The Humane Society) Likewise with the little male chicks, the piglets that are no longer able to be used for a purpose are sent away to die.
“Pigs raised for meat undergo mutilations—including castration and tail docking—without any pain relief.” (The Humane Society) Basically, they will cut their tails off, without any pain reducing medication. “For six months, they are confined in pens until they reach the average market weight around 270 lb. As with chickens, the pigs are given little protection from extreme heat or cold while on the trucks transporting them to slaughter.”(The Humane Society) So for the pigs entire life they live in cages they are unable to turn around in, and they are cut and bruised, broken with no pain relief.
Killing
“According to the federal Humane Methods of Slaughter Act, pigs and other animals considered “livestock” are to be ‘rendered insensible to pain' before they are shackled and killed. However, a report by the U.S. General Accounting Office on the USDA’s enforcement of the Act found that some animals are still conscious as they are hung upside down and their throats are being cut.” (The Humane Society)
Overall, I don’t believe this is how we were designed to “rule” over our animals. Using your dollars to vote with companies is extremely vital in letting companies know what you do and do not stand for. Your vote matters. Throughout this Animal Welfare series I have enjoyed sharing the raw and unfiltered facts with you, although they are definitely hard to write about. I would advise you to check out sustainable local farms in your area and survey if they have meat options you can buy from. My husband and I are doing this and it is extremely helpful to the farmers but also supports what we believe in! If you have any more questions about this series, please contact us at [email protected]!
This information was sourced from this Humane Society Document inside the textbook Food, Ethics, and Society (PDF): https://www.humanesociety.org/sites/default/files/docs/hsus-report-welfare-animals-meat-egg-dairy-industry.pdf
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