February 2009 Today's Farmer issue

Correspondence

Web response for "Slaughter Shutdown Woes" 

Whatever happened to Alpo? I hate to sound crass, but do the dog food companies not use horse flesh? Is that illegal as well? Or are they using only beef and other acceptable forms of meat so as not to offend those who might take exception to using horse flesh? I have horses. I love horses. I hate to think of something bad happening and I face this dilemma. But at the same time, we must be responsible and we must be reasonable. So, my question is not one meant to be ugly or hateful. Just what happened to the dog food market? [I ask as the] owner of two 21-year-old quarter horses, a Tennessee Walker, a Kentucky Mountain horse and a mutt, but adorable, pony. And, a 36-year-old Appaloosa put down this past June.

Beth McMichen

That was a very well-written, comprehensive article, and I will be sharing the link with many! As a horse lover and owner, I am in favor of humane slaughter.

Bonnie and Gregg Martin
Gemara Farm Fox Trotters

After reading the article on unwanted horses online in the Today’s Farmer and in other articles it is quite clear that a lot of people acquiring horses don’t realize the cost involved and how much acreage and care it actually takes to keep one horse. They should have about 5 acres per head, and they need room to move and get exercise. You can’t keep them in a small lot and not feed them and expect them to be all right. Horses in the wild travel over hundreds of acres to acquire enough forage to take care of themselves. We limit what a horse has to live on and they depend on us to care for them and provide them with adequate forage, whether it is grass or hay. Then there is the aspect that they need to be dewormed on a regular basis, hooves need to be trimmed (even if you don’t shoe them), vaccinations are not cheap either, but need to be given annually and some twice a year. If you think you want a horse, put a pencil to it first. Then see if you can really afford it. Don’t get the horse and then decide you can’t afford it and the horse suffers and slowly starves to death.

Kathy Fritz
Hartville, MO

I thought this was a very good article. It only makes sense to re-open slaughter markets here in the U.S. We didn’t have the problems then, like we have now. I wish more people would wake up and see that they need to be re-opened.

Andrew Hendrix

Thank you for your article on the horse slaughter issue. We have to continue to educate the public on the need for the slaughter market. The animal-rights groups are killing the horse industry.

Paul Parker

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