Minutes of evidence taken before the Committee appointed by the Admiralty to consider the humane slaughtering of animals.

  • Great Britain. Committee on Humane Slaughtering of Animals.
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Minutes of evidence taken before the Committee appointed by the Admiralty to consider the humane slaughtering of animals. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    161. If that is so, it would mean having to strike more than one blow ?—It might. 762. That would be the inhumanity ?—Yes. 763. If a man had to strike more than one blow could the earn as much as the other man who only had to strike ‘one blow ?—Yes, he would, because the animal is always allowed a certain time to die, and suppose he struck two blows that would not take over another half a second or a second at the very most. 764. You mean to say that the inexpert man or the -eruel man could earn as much, or possibly more than the expert and not cruel man ?—No, because the expert does his work so quickly that he is off again dressing his bullock at once. The animal is bled by the second assistant and -during that time the slaughterman will] be dressing another earcase. 765. Then the expert man will earn more than the other, probably ?—Yes, because he is the foreman of the gang. 766. (Mr. Game.) If some cattle were in sight of others being killed and you were to throw them a truss of hay, would they begin to eat ?—Yes, I have seen them do it. 767. As if there was nothing in sight ?—Not the slightest. 768. (Chairman.) I understood you to say earlier in your evidence that you attached considerable importance to the regulation by which animals are not allowed to be slaughtered in sight of each other ?—I do, but that is not bearing on the question; I still say if you will throw a truss of hay into the pen the animals will start to eat although other animals are being killed in front of them. 769. It depends on the animal just as human beings differ in their sensibilities ?—Yes. 770. (Mr. Cope.) You have not been abroad to see the methods of slaughter there ?—No. 771. Because nearly all the information we have obtained is strongly in favour of stunning all sheep before they are killed ?—I know that is so; I have read several papers on the subject, but at the same time, from practical experience I would like to see these tested. Take Greener’s patent: I have given that a thorough test, and another one brought out lately with a bolt, and I find none of them ome up to the poll-axe. I have myself tried stunning a sheep and I was not satisfied with it. I only speak from my own experiments. 772. Of course the views to which I refer must be based on experience or they would not make the law in these countries requiring it ?—Of course I have not seen these tried, and I would not care to give an opinion unless I saw them tried. 773. I suppose we could make arrangements to see it carried out at the Cattle Market ?—Certainly ; I am sure my committee would give you opportunities either at Deptford or at the Metropolitan Cattle Market. 774. (Chairman.) Before you go, have you any other Suggestions to offer as to any improvements that might either be carried out or that might even be tried—any methods that are worth considering ?—I have~ tried nearly all we know of in this country, that is, Greener’s patent and also that new bolt of the German firm, and I found both wanting. In the first instance, for cattle the Greener patent is a most dangerous instrument, and we also found the other one dangerous, as the bolt re- bounded and nearly sent the operator against the wall. 775. Were you at the Manchester slaughter-house before you came to London ?—For five years ; I managed it for five years. 776. Were the methods there as good as the methods now in force in London ?—The same exactly. 777. In fact, you carried out the methods here that you learned at Manchester ?—Yes. 778. (Mr. Cope.) I take it the Corporation leave you entirely a free hand to look after everything ?—That is SO. 779. (Chairman.) And if we so desire you could let us see the usual methods of slaughtering ?—Yes, I would be only too pleased. 780. At what times of day is the slaughtering carried out as a rule 7—At different times; at this time of the year there is very little slaughtering doing, but setae ae afternoon would be a good time to come. 781. At what sort of hour ?—Any hour that will suit you I can arrange for; you could see the whole of the slaughtering, including the Jewish method, and I could have Greener’s patent there and give you a test of that as well. 782. We are not going into the Jewish method in this particular inquiry at present, but I may ask you one question on it: do you consider that the Jewish method is a cruel one ?—I do. 783. You object to it ?—I do, and I have not got reconciled to that method of slaughtering for the last eighteen years. I cannot stand in the slaughter-house and see it carried out. 784. (Chairman.)} I understand that you have had very large experience of the butcher’s trade ?—Yes. 785. Are you in any way connected with it now ?— Yes. 78. For the purpose of putting it on record, would you tell us briefly what your experience has been and what your business is now ?—My business is as a butcher, farmer and grazier. 787. And that has been your business all your life ?— Yes, from a boy. 788. In the course of that trade do you also conduct the slaughtering of animals ?—I used to a great deal ; I have killed some thousands in my time. 789. Now, in your business, how do you have your animals slaughtered 7—We have no slaughterers here, because my business premises are in King William Street, but Mr. William Reid, whom I have outside, slaughters them. 790. But you do actually slaughter cattle as part of your business ?—Yes. 791. Where are your slaughter-houses ?—At the Metro- politan Market, Islington, and Mr. Reid has got another at Deptford, where the American cattle are killed. 792. I presume you have slaughtering operations on a very large scale ?—Yes. 793. Could you give us roughly the number of animals slaughtered a week, for example ?—For myself, very few now, because we can get it best dead, but Mr. Reid will give you a rough idea, and I suppose he kills about 200 a week. 794. We shall be glad if you will give us the benefit of your opinion as to the most humane methods, and not only humane but practicable methods of slaughtering the different kinds of animals, first of all as regards cattle ?— First of all taking cattle you cannot improve on our system at the present time. 795. What is that ?—Poll-axing them. 796. We would like a little more detail about the method of poll-axing, because apparently there are several methods ?—Ours is simply a poll-axe. 797. We know the axe, but we want the method of striking the animal ?—We strike him on the forehead. 798. Only the one blow ?—Yes. 799. You do not strike them on the poll first ?—No. 800. But you are aware that is done in a great many cases ?—Yes, it is done in a great many cases, but I shoul call that brutality. 801. Why do you call it brutality ?—Because the man may not catch the proper spot and he may have to hit the beast once or twice, whereas if you chain him and run him down you do not see one in a thousand strike a second time. 802. Will you tell us how the animal is secured ?—If he is tame they do not put a rope on him, but if he is skittish they simply put a chain on him and pull him down to a ring. Mr. King (cont.).