A Young Voice

This article is probably the most important one to me. It is devastating and horrible what our society does to animals for mere moments of eating pleasure. In fact, this article alone could probably turn a lot of people vegan. I used to think there was such thing as happy milk, happy eggs, even possibly happy meat. All I can tell you now was I was completely WRONG.

What if I told you that 200 million land animals are slaughtered each day, and that doesn’t even include fish? When they are put into the picture, 3 BILLION animals are killed each day for our dining pleasure. That is 2,000 animals per second. I just do not understand this. How can humans be so selfish? Animals feel pain. They want freedom. They want to live. But we don’t even give them their simple necessities to life. In fact, even the organic, “free range” companies don’t treat their animals as they should most of the time. Even organic meat must take the life of a living being that does not want to die.

There is no “humane” way to slaughter an animal. The definition of humane is “having or showing compassion or benevolence.” I mean, killing an animal is not the most compassionate thing….. it is literally taking a life of another being for pleasure…so when someone says that they buy humane meat, I just sigh. I think of the billions of animals who bleed out just for our pleasure.

Disclaimer: I could turn into “Sassy Ava” during this article, be aware. 🙂

And also this is very fact-dense, so sorry if my writing is not the best:)

Pigs

In some countries, like the U.K, there are no formal standards for free-range pigs. So your “free-range” bacon could be the exact same as your NON “free-range” bacon. Only about 3% of pigs will spend their life outdoors. They are kept in tight spaces where there is no room to even turn around. They stand all day in their own feces and are treated with absolutely no compassion. Did you know that pigs are as smart and emotionally complex as dogs? Would you put a dog in a cage where it will spend its whole life until it is violently slaughtered? I wouldn’t. I am pretty sure you wouldn’t either. To me, pigs are just as valuable as dogs, and if you couldn’t do it yourself, or couldn’t bear to watch it, then why would you contribute to the industry that does it?

Female pigs are usually artificially inseminated so that they will keep on producing pigs, or for most people, bacon and pork. After the sow (female mother pig) is too exhausted to keep on going, they will slaughter her for cheap meat. At most farms, they will cut off the baby piglets tail, teeth, and put a tag on the ear, without any painkillers or anesthesia. This is normally done to prevent them from eating one another when they die, because this can happen when they start to go mentally insane due to the horrible conditions they are kept in.

If the piglets are not growing fast enough, they will be killed, usually by being slammed against a wall or hit across the head with a pole. All of these methods and horrid things are completely common. Some of the organic companies use the same procedures. These procedures are horrid and terrible, in my opinion, and should be stopped.

When people say they love bacon, all I can think of is suffering. Every time I see a sausage, I see pigs being beaten and killed, not some delicious meal.

A very highly used method of slaughter for pigs is the gas chamber. The gas chamber is considered the most humane way to slaughter a pig. I think this is absolute B.S. They get put into metal cages, and dropped down into a gas chamber that leaks CO2 into the air. They scream and scream, and thrash for their lives. It takes up to 45 seconds of absolute agony for their bodies to give out and die. Being gassed to death is apparently like burning from the inside out. They go through that, of course, so that you can have your delicious bacon.

Another very highly used method for pigs is electrical stunning. This is to make the pigs unconscious before their throats are slit on the blood line. But sometimes (a lot more than you would think), the stunning does not work, and the pig is left conscious while bleeding to death hanging upside down from their feet.

I am just in complete disgust of how horrifyingly cruel this is. How is it possible to eat a piece of pork or bacon and say that you love animals? Or you love pigs? They suffer. They suffer so much. They suffer sooooo, sooo much, just so that we can have 15 minutes of pleasure while eating their flesh.

Oh, and just a little side note: like I said before, pigs have very similar emotions to dogs and each have their own unique personality. So the next time you are eating your pulled pork sandwich, you can think of eating a pulled poodle sandwich and see if you think of it differently.

Cows

Okay. Here we go.

First off, before or after this article, please read my article on milk and DAIRY because it has soooooo much to do with the suffering of cows in this industry. So much so that I had to write a full article on the dairy industry alone. People can’t seem to understand why the dairy industry is so cruel. I might write some things about the dairy industry in this article but it is hard to write a little and not a lot with that topic. SO…. Just go read it, pweeeaaaassseee?

Here is just a little summary of the dairy industry before I get into the beef.

First, in order to produce milk, a cow has to give birth, just like any other mammal. So, what the farmers do is get bull semen, put it in what’s called an artificial insemination “gun,” then they stick that bull semen up the female cow (with their ARM, might I say) so that she will get pregnant. This is euphemized as “artificial insemination.”

Then, once the baby calf is born, it will be taken from the mother usually within 24-48 hours after birth. This is because the baby will drink the mother’s milk (like its supposed to) and of course, people just cannot seem to give up their cheese. The mother will then be milked dry using a milking machine along with hundreds of other female cows in this same position. (A lot of times they will get infections in their utters because of over-milking).

Then this horrifying process repeats until the mother cow cannot produce a profitable amount of milk anymore. Once her body gives out, she is then taken to slaughter for cheap meat.

I would say that dairy is in no way justified, reasonable, or humane. It is sexual exploitation and cruelty. Also, humans end up drinking what is meant for a baby calf.

Okay…. now for the beef. So you already know that all dairy cows get slaughtered, well here is more information on the slaughtering.

The male calfs from the dairy industry, usually are of “no use,” so they are usually shot in the head within days or weeks after birth, then discarded as a bi-product. If they are not shot in the head, the will be sold, usually at an auction and then raised and slaughtered for beef or veal. Normally they will have to endure long journeys in a truck crammed in with others, as they are exported to a slaughterhouse.

In most cattle farms, organic or not, they will have to be inside a barn (with feces everywhere) for at least some part of the year. When they are sent off to slaughter, they are individually placed in a stunning box. They are then “stunned” by a captive bolt pistol, which is another way of saying that they get shot right in the head. Cows have thick skulls, so sometimes this doesn’t work the first time. This is done to make them already dead while their throats are being slit and bled out. However, 5-10% of cattle are not stunned correctly and have to endure the excruciating pain of bleeding to death and being cut right through the throat.

Once they are dead and properly bled out, they are chopped into pieces for the beef and steak and other meaty parts, and their blood and guts go into a giant container to be used for sausage and pepperoni, etc. for that delicious pizza you just ordered.

Birds

First of all, worldwide, we kill 50 billion chickens per year. This number does not even include the male chicks in the egg industry, which I will talk more about in a second. Think about that number, let it soak in. Around 90-95 percent of chickens are raised indoors for their entire life.

Due to their selective breeding, chickens reach slaughter age at just 41 days old. Due to the rapid growth of these birds, their bones are not strong enough to hold their obese body, and their bones often break under pressure. A lot of times the birds will not even be able to stand up. Sometimes, when the birds are unable to move, they are literally canabalised and pecked at by others while still alive. (Disturbing, I know).

Many die from dehydration or starvation before they reach slaughter age. A good amount also die from heart and lung failure. Normally the sheds they live in are never cleaned, so, like cows, will be standing around in their own feces. This makes them very prone to catch diseases. The birds that die on the shed floor are either left there to rot among the live chickens, or thrown in a bin to rot.

When they reach slaughter age, they are violently thrown into a crate in which they will be later transported to their deaths. Usually within these processes they often acquire many broken bones and are even killed. The birds that make it to the slaughter house are shackled by their feet upside down. Then they are sent to a painful electric water bath.The purpose of this being to render them unconscious for the rest of the slaughter. However this does not work correctly every time, and birds are actually still conscious when their throats are sliced open violently and then bleed to death. They then reach the scalding tank set between 130 and 170 degrees Fahrenheit, where their feathers will be loosened before they are plucked. According to the documentary “Land of Hope and Glory” (see below), around 8.4 billion birds every year are still alive at this stage and then left to be boiled alive.

EGGS

Most people think eggs are not a cruel product, that they are completely fine and humane to eat. What they are not aware of is the process behind it. There is a reason I am vegan and not vegetarian. I bet you will learn something new as you read this.

Most people know that only female chickens can lay eggs. Not males. So, when bred, the males of are of no use to the egg industry. They are a different breed than the ones used for meat, so they are not suitable for the meat industry either. This means that as soon as they are born, male and female chicks are separated, and the male chicks are put on a conveyor belt and thrown into a macerator which is a giant blender type thing that blends them to pieces while still alive. The alternative is being thrown into a gas chamber. The female chicks are then de-beaked using a machine (yes, still fully conscious). They are acted upon as merely an object when they are living beings.

Naturally, a hen would only lay around 10-20 eggs a year, but because of our selective breeding methods, they lay around 300 eggs a year. This is insanely unhealthy and straining on their bodies. Also most chickens are kept in very small cages, so small they can’t even open their wings all the way. Their whole life they are kept there, unable to breathe fresh air, see sunlight or move freely.

Normally, people think that “free-range eggs” means that the chickens live a wonderful life, outdoors, and are well-cared for. This is not true. Even though eggs that are free range require that the chickens have some form of outdoor access, most of the time, it is a barn with a little yard, and due to the overcrowding, most chickens don’t even have a chance to go outside because the outside space is so small. Legally (in most countries) a free-range farmer can house 16,000 birds in one barn. This is about 9 birds per square meter, again for legal “free-range”. Usually, the hens are de-beaked without any painkillers in order to reduce the amount of cannibalism and pecking. EEEEEEEK!!

Many hens lose a lot of their feathers, which creates a series of problems. The amount of diseases in those farms are disgusting and inhumane. Think lice, termites, etc. Honestly, I would just go look for yourself because it is horrid how disturbing these farms are.

When the hens stop producing as many eggs, (around 72 weeks old) they will be transported to a slaughterhouse to their violent deaths.

Conclusion

Of course, there are other animals like ducks and sheep that are commonly eaten which I didn’t specifically explain. The methods of raising and slaughtering, are very similar. These ways that I have explained thoroughly, happen every single day, in almost every country. If we put a dog in the place of a pig, the public would be outraged, but the second that someone like me is outraged that a pig is put in that violent situation, people question me, and even make fun of me. It is so weird how society works. I think though, if more people were to see the horrors of these industries, they would (hopefully) stop contributing to them.

I hope that you learned something as you read this article, and if you are willing to research further, please watch “Land of Hope and Glory” (which I got a good number of my facts from) and “Dominion.”

Thank you so much for reading! The animals and I really appreciate it!

This is a topic that is brought up a lot when people find out that I’m vegan. They always ask questions like, “How come you won’t eat dairy? It doesn’t hurt the cow,” or “I understand why you wouldn’t wan’t to eat meat, but dairy isn’t bad for the cows, they do it naturally.”

Here is the thing that people don”t understand:

Cow’s milk was never meant for humans. It is made solely for the purpose of feeding their young. Just like every single mammal on the planet. So, what do you think happens to their babies when we want to take the mother’s milk? Well, to make the most profit for the farmers, and the most milk for us, the mother’s baby is taken from her, usually less than 24 hours after birth. The mother will never see their baby again. They cry out for days for their baby to come back, but unfortunately, some people just “can’t survive” without their cheese.

In fact, before this happens, consider this: to produce milk in the first place, a cow has to give birth to a calf. Well, again, to make that cow more profitable for the industry, it needs to be continuously producing milk. This means she needs to be pregnant over and over and over again, continuously giving birth and repeating the cycle of her baby being stolen from her.

If the baby is a female calf, they will put her in a crate, with very little room to move around, from 8 weeks to up to 6 months. Then she will face the same fate as her mother, which you will learn more about as the article continues. If the baby is a male calf, he is not of use to the dairy industry, and normally not suitable for meat. Therefore, around 90,000 male calves are shot right after birth, and discarded as a bi- product. If they are not shot after birth, they will be raised for veal. When raised for meat, their horns are burnt off as well as of course getting violently slaughtered.

To impregnate the cows for this process, they use artificial insemination (AI). The semen is taken from the bull, then injected (by a farmers arm) into the uterus of a female dairy cow (this is a lot of information I know, but its the facts). Also, they have been bred to make 10 times as much milk as they would in the wild, causing some infections in their utters.

The dairy cow, will keep going around and around in this vicious cycle, until their bodies can no longer stand it, or they stop producing as much milk. Once this happens, they are taken away to slaughter, and bought as cheap meat (dog food, fast food, things like that). Most people think that dairy cows do not have to die, but that is complete B.S. Every single dairy cow goes to the slaughterhouse, not one will die of natural causes.

In fact, around 150,000 cows are slaughtered while pregnant. This means, as the mother’s throat is slit and bleeding out upside down along with hundreds of other cows, the baby is still inside, normally still alive, kicking for its life. It takes much longer for the baby inside the mother to die, and it is very painful for the (usually almost-born) calf, to slowly suffocate and die along with its mother.

And that is just the dairy industry – the industry that people think is clean of cruelty. Milk is for baby cows. It is by no means for a human. All those happy cows on the front of milk cartons don’t exist. Cows were never meant to become so industrialized. The industry is pure cruelty.

So here is my point: no matter what you buy that has dairy in it, supports this cruel industry. It is the furthest thing from humane. I cannot believe that when I try to explain this to people this they say, “Well, I just can’t survive without cheese.” Well, I just can’t believe or understand how they can be so blind.

I just hope that somehow I might make a difference. And you can join me.

I would also like to say, I was not born vegan. In fact my favorite food was hamburger stew and Kraft Mac and Cheese. Like, for Pete’s sake, Ava. But now that I have opened my eyes to this horrible industry, I could NEVER turn back. I wouldn’t eat dairy if you paid me a million dollars (not an exaggeration).

P.S. I honestly think almond milk and oat milk tastes better anyway! 🙂

Thank you for reading! It means a lot to me, and the cows! 🙂

The Land of Hope and Glory is a documentary about the horrors animals go through for these products. PLEAAAAASSSE watch!! This is about the U.K.’s farming, but these are very, very standard practices in all countries, especially the United States. I did get some of my facts from this documentary, and the guy who is narrating it is a LEGEND! Look on my recipe and tips section for more information. Start at 15:52 to start at the cows. Otherwise you could watch the whole thing! It is a hard thing to watch for most people, but it is where most people’s normal food comes from. So, I would advise trying to watch it. (I would gladly watch someone picking strawberries).

#notyourmomnotyourmilk #dairyisscary

“But our ancestors ate meat!?” I get this one a lot… It comes up a bunch when talking about veganism. Here’s my opinion…

In some cases, what our ancestors did in the past really has nothing to do with modern-day society. Many cultural customs are now considered very wrong or unethical. For instance, owning slaves used to be acceptable in our culture. And of course, now it is illegal, and you could even go to prison now for something like that. There are many other examples, such as not allowing women the right to vote. All were acceptable then, but definitely not now.

For me, that is all it is. Our ancestors probably needed to consume meat in order to survive because there was a limited supply of food, and they were crossing the country in covered wagons. Nowadays we have Walmart, Albertsons, etc., and we can buy almost anything so conveniently without even thinking about where it is coming from. Bottom line, we really don’t need animal products to survive. My section on health covers the protein debate. In fact we are healthier without meat, so why hurt the environment, animals, and ourselves just because our ancestors ate meat?

Don’t get me wrong. I do not think that what our ancestors did was wrong, because then, it was a survival technique. In today’s world, though, we don’t need to kill animals to survive. It’s is as simple as that. In fact they killed the animal themselves, and in our world now, we pay others to violently slaughter our earth’s creatures. For what? Our taste and eating pleasure. Our society also has very little knowledge or understanding (especially kids) that a pig had to be violently slaughtered in order for that bacon to be on that plate of food on the breakfast table. Or in that plastic package (but that’s a whole different issue) at the store, that we can “oh-so-easily” buy.

This is my opinion and I did not always think this way either. It came along and wrapped me up with all the other facts I have came across.

Hopefully I opened your eyes just a little more about the different sides of this topic, and of course, thanks so much for reading!!!! It means a lot!!!!

Introduction

Almost the entire world believes that we are all omnivores. Now, more and more and more scientists are proving that to be questionable. Of course, humans have eaten animals for as long as we have been here on this earth, but what if the human body was not ever created to eat meat in the first place?

Adaptations

First off, humans have a much longer digestive tract than other carnivores and omnivores. Why does this matter? Well, the reason that other animals that are carnivores or omnivores have shorter digestive tracts is because meat is very dense and harder to digest, so the shorter tract allows smooth and fast digestion.

Also, the human body lacks the ability to produce its own Vitamin C. This is important because it shows how reliant on plants we are. Meat has no vitamin C in it at all, where as plants contain a great quantity of it. In addition, humans have trichromatic vision, which means we can see all colors. No carnivores on the planet can see color. Why? If you only hunt other animals for food you don’t need to see color, because you can tell an an animal from another animal without it. Plants on the other hand, sometimes you need to see the colors to distinguish some fruits and vegetables from others. Carnivores also have much more acidic stomach acid, which allows them to digest meat accordingly, along with of course, the shorter digestive tract.

Canine teeth. One of the top argument starters, when a vegan says that the human body may not be perfectly fit for an animal based diet. When you look into our mouths, you see very flat stubby teeth. These teeth look absolutely nothing, like any carnivores teeth. In fact, there is no way for humans to kill an animal with just their teeth. (hehe) Our teeth in fact, look almost exactly like monkey or gorilla teeth (minus their canines), which are entirely herbivores (with a little touch of fly guts). In fact, our DNA is 96% matched with chimpanzees.Their canine teeth are merely for impressing the other gender. Also, ours are insanely wimpy and could never rip through animal flesh by themselves.

Continuing with the mouth topic…. Carnivores have long and sharp teeth, and a jaw that can only move up and down. Herbivores teeth are, like I said earlier, shorter and blunt, and a jaw that moves in all directions in order to grind the plants down instead of chomping down on animal flesh.

Protein and Vitamin B12 *eye roll*

If you are a vegan….. the word protein is probably on your nerves more than anything on the entire earth. *sigh* Every single person asks “Where do you get your protein????” What I say is, “The same way cows get their protein.” If you think about it, it is obvious…. think of all the huge strong animals that get all their fuel from just plants alone.Bison, elephants, Hippopotamus, horses, and even some dinosaurs were herbivores, along with lots more. People think vegans are wimpy and shrimpy because they can’t get enough protein. That is completely untrue and, if bison can clearly get enough protein from just plants, so can a human, that is about half the size. It is also proven that most vegans can get even more protein than an omnivore—up to 70 percent more protein than the average recommendation for protein intake. Take THAT, meat eaters!!

B12 is an interesting one, and to meat eaters delight, it is one thing that vegans cannot get enough. BUT! Guess what?! The only reason you can get it if you are vegan is because, the vitamin originally comes from the micro-organisms in the soil and river water, that early humans used to drink. With all the sprays and washes veggies and fruits get these days, the vitamin is no longer existent in them. Meat eaters reading this are probably thinking “SCORE for me!!” But, if the veggies no longer have the B12 vitamin in them, then neither do the cows, and neither do the pigs. So, in most cases the livestock actually is fed a supplement of B12, so either way, vegan or not, B12 is hard to find without a little supplement.

Conclusion

Of course, this is an odd article, which may not be as important as some of the others. But, paired with my health article, it is eye opening. I debated on whether I should write this one, knowing it would get more arguments and questions, but, everything I stated is scientifically proven, and fits the topic of veganism, so why not? Who knows if humans were supposed to be omnivores, or herbivores…. All I know is that my body feels so much better with a vegan diet, so maybe everyone’s body would feel amazing too.

All of the above facts are from What the Health, Medical News Today, and Viva Health