As you know, I place a lot of importance on small-scale meat production, as opposed to industrial slaughterhouses. I believe that although it is ethically acceptable to eat meat, this does not imply the right to treat animals inhumanely.
Here is a blog post that exemplifies the kind of understanding and appreciation that can grow from small-scale meat production. The fascinating story comes from Joe Cloud, who operates a small-scale slaughterhouse in the US. Joe is the partner of Joel Salatin, mentioned in Michael Pollan’s Omnivore Dilemma.
Queen of Spades lifted her tail and had a pee. I watched as Gingerbread Boogie tasted her urine, sticking his tongue in the stream, then curling his lips back and inhaling deeply to catch the fine aromas, like a wine aficionado with a premier cru Burgundy. Bulls do this to see if the cow is coming into heat. Here he was in the abattoir, and he was enthusiastically thinking of one last fling. I admired his spirit.
Postcard from a Slaughterhouse: The Ones that Got Away
(Via The Ethicurean)