As caring farmers, why would we let our animals suffer?
WE ARE cattle farmers and have written to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) complaining that halal slaughter is on the increase and that we should not be pandering to religious groups. Such methods of slaughter are barbaric and unnecessary. Defra’s first reply said the Slaughter of Animals Act 1933 contains an exemption when animals are slaughtered for Jews and Muslims. We then asked if our standards could not also be respected. We were fobbed off with a reply saying ‘we welcome your views, your letter has been passed on to the relevant policy officials . . .’ We got the impression that no one in Defra cares. Our farm has been in my husband’s family since 1948. The cattle are sent to a local abattoir and are stunned before slaughter — we wouldn’t consider any other method. Farm animals have sustained mankind for thousands of years. Halal slaughter is a barbaric way for the animals to end their lives. Our 15 sheep are pets that will live on the farm until the end of their lives. They include Brian, the runt of triplets, who, after nurturing by us for months, is a fine sheep. yes, he knows his name — sheep are the most intelligent of farm animals. JEREMY and ANDREA GOODENOUGH,
Lostwithiel, Cornwall. ACCORDING to Labour’s welfare plan, It is cruel to boil a lobster alive, but OK to slit an animal’s throat while it is still alive. Both are cruel, but ethnic minorities clearly don’t eat lobsters.
L. RICHARDS, Bristol.