# butchering



## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

I know my meat doesn't grow on trees, or magically appear in neat little wrapped packages, and I don't want to give up meat. 
I just hate butchering days.  I know my animals are well cared for, humanely put down but I have such a hard time. I usually hold their lead until they are on the ground, this weekend I guess I was being hormonal (weepy). I almost couldn't stomach after the first one, my neighbor came over to help with the second one. I'm fine once I'm processing the meat, just the steps getting there are so hard for me. Like I said I know my meat comes from well cared for and humanely put down, it's just hard for me.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I'm going to be in your place next year. It's going to be SO HARD. But your goats will never know neglect or poor care. Like someone else on here said, "They have a great life, and only one bad day."

And good for you -- you're supporting humane practice, not factory farming. Your animals are so much healthier and had much better lives than most of those you will find in the grocery store.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

I dont think I could do that . And , Im not sure I really need to know "how" they do it , but here goes .
"How" do they "do it" ?


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

It's not exactly a favorite passtime for us either. It helps to know that yes, they were well cared for & you know what you are eating.
Usually the ones for camp have been picked out from day one.
Once the bullet hits they are no longer who they were.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Trickyroo said:


> I dont think I could do that . And , Im not sure I really need to know "how" they do it , but here goes .
> "How" do they "do it" ?


There are different methods ... the most important thing being that the goat is conked out instantly.

Last year I would have SWORN that I would NEVER use any of my goats for meat. How could I love an animal so much and eat it? For me, it's because there aren't enough good pet homes out there for the wethers ... so they will live a WONDERFUL live and not be put to any waste.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

trickyroo, there are some who just slit the throat (many hispanics in our area do it that way). We prefer an immediate well placed bullet, because it is immediate rather than slitting their throat while they are alive. They do twitch when they hit the ground, they are dead immediately it's just nerves. But, it is still very hard for me to watch. Like woodhaven said, they have very healthy lives until that day, they get brought out for a nibble of grain when it happens so they are none the wiser.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Thank you!! I am not the only one that is like this. No one will let me go near the animal when it is killed (same bullet). The muscle thing you are talking about, that freaks me out and if I am there they end up having to shoot them at least one more time just to make me shut up. I know they are dead but I want to be 100% sure. Now I wait in the house, I hear a shot and wait at least 5 min. before I go out of the house to help with the rest. And what really sucked growing up was I was always the one that had to feed the ones that got butchered!!! I am the most hormonal of the whole family lol


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## JaLyn (Oct 10, 2012)

It's not wrong to feel compassion for an animal that you kill. I deer hunt and sometimes I cry after I've shot a deer even though I thoroughly love to hunt and my adrenaline is through the roof when I pull that trigger but afterwards it does make me sad to know i've killed something and I don't feel bad about that or feel it's wrong. I think once you realize it's ok to feel sad and even cry you might just be able to deal with it a little better.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

JaLyn said:


> It's not wrong to feel compassion for an animal that you kill. I deer hunt and sometimes I cry after I've shot a deer even though I thoroughly love to hunt and my adrenaline is through the roof when I pull that trigger but afterwards it does make me sad to know i've killed something and I don't feel bad about that or feel it's wrong. I think once you realize it's ok to feel sad and even cry you might just be able to deal with it a little better.


I agree. Death is very sad, and it is okay to feel that way.


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## clearwtrbeach (May 10, 2012)

Agreed. Like I said I know how we treat and process our animals. Even when hunting, we personally don't sport hunt, we are humane and use what ever we process as much as we can. I even tried tanning a sheepskin for the first time this year.


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## Trickyroo (Sep 26, 2012)

Thank you for your explanations , I appreciate them and I do understand and completely agree with all of you that the ones to be killed will live a wonderful life up until that day. And like someone said , they had a great life , and just one bad day. I rather know they were put down humanely and didnt suffer at all . It was actually hard for me to even click on this thread , but knowing the posts were coming from "goat lovers" like me , I figured it would have to be done humanely and with respect to the animal.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I live by my rule.
Meat animals should live the happiest lives you can give them and be killed as humanely as possible. 
Being shot is not painful if you die before the shock is over. The animals that are cleanly killed never suffer and only know the last bowl of grain, the last walk in the woods, the circle of life is cruel and yet, our animals don't feel prolonged pain or feel fear.


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