| name: | Howard F. Lyman |
| date of birth: | 17/09/1938 |
| qualifications: | BS degree in general agriculture, 1961. |
| relevance: | Agricultural expert |
previous experience:
1/ From 1963-1983 he was actively engaged in animal and grain production. The areas in which he was involved were dairy, pork, registered Hereford, chicken, range cattle, feedlot beef production, veal, grain, silage and hay production. His responsibilities ranged from labour to total financial management. He was in charge of all buying and use decisions of all herbicides, pesticides, hormones and medications used on the operation and at the time of liquidation he controlled over1000 range cows and calfs, 5000 head of cattle fed annually in confined feedlots, and several thousands of acres of grain grown each year. This operation was expending several million dollars each year and at the maximum he employed over thirty employees.
quotes:
When animals reach the slaughter facility the only concern is to
kill as many in as short a period as possible. The animals are
terrified at the slaughter plant and the cruelty inflected on the
animal in their last moments on earth are indescribable. I believe
if viewing of slaughter was required to eat meat, most folks would
become vegetarians.
The animal husbandry practiced today is only concerned with economics. The comfort and welfare of the animal is only important if there is the chance that the animal will fail to achieve marketability. I participated in this transition. For many years I believed the end justified the means. Today I regard the methods used in most animal production as barbaric and inhumane.
I have seen cases where large numbers of animals have died from drowning, suffocation, freezing, disease, and starvation because they were restricted the freedom to move to shelter
When animals reach the slaughter facility the only concern is to kill as many in as short a period as possible. The animals are terrified at the slaughter plant and the cruelty inflected on the animal in their last moments on earth are indescribable. I believe if viewing of slaughter was required to eat meat, most folks would become vegetarians.
The use of logged land for cattle production has been encouraged by governments.
Attempts by third world countries to export meat as a way of producing income to pay off borrowed funds is putting more and more stress on existing rain forests. The combination of logging and ranching is devastating to rainforest: As the loggers clear the land the ranchers move in.
My experience in animal production convinces me that destruction of the natural land base by animals under the control of humans is out of hand.
These occurrences are never reported to the general public because they would cause a tremendous backlash against the present system.
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