Horsemeat at an all time high

There used to be a horse abatiore near us, until eec laws kept upgrading the specs , to make it the same as for meat going for human consumption. They had already upgraded i think a few years before, but haveing to do it again ment they had to close, as they couldnt afford to keep changing things.
There definatly needs to be more abattoirs across the country, both for horses and for livestock, as most have to travel too far to be killed!
 
Alec, my three horses have had their passports marked as not suitable for human consumption.
This is not because I am precious about what happens to them, but because all three have been treated with standard horse drugs, which have the inadvertent effect of leaving residues in the meat which prevents them from being eaten by humans.
I'm not sure there's a solution to this problem - in terms of horses being abandoned rather than sent for meat - unless charities copy an American model I read about on FHOTD and offer free PTS days (although I can see this would not generate the type of publicity wanted :p).
S :D
 
'S'teamed said:
Supply and demand is bouyant....

As things are, I dont foresee any change for low end market ponies.

TB's/WB's are averaging £550 per carcass..a good mark-up seeing as they are bought cheaply at market for around £160/280

The Zoo/Safari Park Fodder Market is also alive and well...prices for these poor souls are averaging £4 per pony.

There is no light at the end of the Tunnel for the foreseeable future.

....and there are far worse fates than Death:(
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I am in favour of a well monitored humane meat trade - if a horse is slaughtered humanely in the UK then exported to the continent as a carcass I AM NOT in favour of LIVE export. In my fairly long experience of horses I have come across a fair amount of welfare issues. If the animals in question had gone for meat at the right time then they need not have suffered for so long.

If a horse has come to the end of its life then far better for it to go straight to the slaughter house than be passed from pillar to post - sale to sale and ill treated in the process.

It is a pity we don't eat horse flesh here in the UK then welfare might be even better monitored.
 
Foxhunter49 said:
................. A little known fact is that if a horse has been given bute at any time during its life it should not enter the food chain!

Rules out many horses.
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Yes I remember a vet explaining that to me a while ago... I think there are some other meds that basically rule out a horse from entering the human food chain..

I think it Human Food chain so I guess doesn't debarr other food chains..

Many horses will have been given other meds that do not permanently rule them out of the human food chain but will do for a certain length of time..

I totally agree there should be some means to stop the profligate breeding that seems to be going on..

Have awful memory of visiting Belwade and seeing an 18 month filly emmaciated who had just had a foal weened off her by Belwade in the vain hope (it was vain) that she might pull thro... Have never seen anything so terrible and the memory lives with me. (NB the foal has survived)
 
i dont agree with eating horse meat - AND IM SURE MOST WILL JUMP ON ME.

Just to remind you that when you tuck into your piece of meat or joint -if it is stringy (perhaps chewy) the animal was in great distress when it was killed. Huge amount of adrenaline is released (flight response) causing the meat to become stringy.
 
Dancing Queen said:
i dont agree with eating horse meat - AND IM SURE MOST WILL JUMP ON ME.

Just to remind you that when you tuck into your piece of meat or joint -if it is stringy (perhaps chewy) the animal was in great distress when it was killed. Huge amount of adrenaline is released (flight response) causing the meat to become stringy.
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I am with you, I couldn't eat it but will quite happily tuck into beef, lamb, pork, venison etc. I am not opposed to the trade though, if I owned cows, sheep, pigs or deer then I would see them as pets and wouldn't eat their meat either. It is just a personal choice. The trade is necessary and as long as it is done humanely then who couldn't support it.

I would have thought that those animals whose passports are signed out of the human meat chain would go through the knackerman into the pet food chain so not quite so huge a problem, or have I got that wrong? I don't really see what difference it makes, those who insist on over breeding are basically creating a market for horses with a meatman of some sort. I just think it is time they were honest about why they breed and stop pretending they are anything other than horse farmers.
 
Hmm so my confirmed rearer who I have battled with for 10 years is only good for hollands pies , I wish I knew that before my fantastic lesson today .... And my youngster I bred off her because unfortunately she'll not be around for ever I should pay a massive tax on !

Well this has been enlightening for a sunday night
 
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