We attended a meeting of our local meatworks following the Indonesian live cattle debacle.
The General manager was saying that cattle are unaware of their fate because they haven't experienced what happens there before. If treated well during the handling process and rendered unconscious quickly and effectively they don't suffer.
Many years ago they invited Temple Grandin to look at the setup at the works. She is a legend in cattle handling area. Having gone through life as an autistic person she sees and hears things in a different way to ordinary people and can identify the best use of yards,races etc to make cattle run through stress free.
As far as being unable to relate to someone who slaughters animals I think you have never suffered from hunger in your life. When it comes to survival people will do whatever is necessary. It is not that many years ago that everybody kept poultry even in backyards and happily dispatched one for the Sunday roast or used the old hens for chicken soup. Perhaps the distance most people have between the food they buy each day and where it comes from has resulted in a lack of appreciation of the people working in the whole food supply chain.
