More humane way to slaughter animals?

[Covenant]

So what's acceptable to you? One animal that suffers in a thousand? In a hundred? In a million? How reliably applied does the stunning and slaughtering process have to be to be considered a humane process?

I'd say we're pretty good about it. Awfully gross conditions, and the occasional illegality, are not enough reasons to all break down and weep about our bratwurst. Here's a nice survey in the US that describes the rate of successful animal slaughter.

http://www.grandin.com/survey/2006.rest ... udits.html

Most plants passed the bare minimums, and about half of them passed with excellent scores. Most of the problems were reported to due with lame, weak, or stressed animals--more to do with the way they were raised than processed.

[Boyish-Tigerlilly]

How many is a 'large' number? Evidence for this number is where? Which country?

I will get the estimation. It's largely in the US. I will post it tonight and tomorrow. I need to go through Dr. Singer "The Ethics of What We Eat" and the studies provided. I am going home to night, so I can do it then.
Much of the information is cited in that book, but sources I will give you too.

Evidence of unsafe working conditions/animal living conditions/waste mismanagement?

Same source. Will certainly provide the citation. The odd part is that it's allowed. There are cleaning regulations, but they are fairly lax, and they don't come into effect before a few months.

Evidence. Jesus Christ, I'm not saying I'm not willing to believe it happens, but for the love of fuck, evidence! Come on, smack me down a peg! Prove you aren't just quoting PETA bullshit at me!

Doesn't come from PETA. But I will get you the source. I will also provide some citations from animal welfare scientists who make some (but more vague) claims about FISH farms.

Which researchers? Which research?

I will get this too.

Evidence of violation of handling and transportation of animals cruelty regulations (In Canada that would be the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Health of Animals Regulations)?

This isn't a violation. It's allowed by law, according to the sources I will put up. It's not wanton cruelty or abuse. It's normal practice. The only ones that do not do this have specific labels, as are the ones that are cage free. Some labels are dishonest, though, such as United Eggs "animal care certified" labels. They mean virtually nothing. I will cite the exact policy when I get home.

Yes, environmental issues exist with factory farming. Not debating that.

No problem. I don't expect you to believe everything I said without me showing you where. The problem with PETA, imo, is that they exaggerate rare instances of sadism and blow it up as if it's the majority, when it's not. The standard lives of factory farmed animals is bad enough. A few people who beat chickens for fun is a waste of time to target.

You might want to read the report from Agriculture Canada's Farm Animal Welfare and Codes of Practice Consultation Workshop in 2002, the results of which are helping to steer government interaction with farmers today. You'll find it on the Agri-Can website.

I will do that. What I should also point out is that Canada and the UK (well, much of EUrope) are far ahead of American farming methods in these areas. I think the UK adopted a new cage policy that expanded the room chickens have *at least since 2005. The US did not.