I have been caring for our young wether (castrated male) goats for just under a year now. Their care began before their birth by caring for their dams. It began in earnest when we had to intervene and assist in the birth of a few of them. We each took turns bottle feeding them, spending time with them out in the barn (because, who can resist baby goats?) looking to their every need. After they were weaned, they were let outside in a small pasture area beside the barn to frolic and play – honing their skills like medieval knights sparring with one another, training to rescue fair maidens. Later they were let out into the large pasture in order to allow room to roam and grow. All summer long, one of my favorite pastimes has been spending time with them in the pasture – playing tag, running down the pasture myself with the whole bunch chasing along behind me, cavorting, twirling and attempting to fly in their exuberance and freedom, loving life and their goatherd (me). All the “boys” want to be the first to catch me, all want to be the first to smell my breath – a cute goat trait an old “goat woman” told me about, that is enjoyed by almost all goats who have a relationship with their goatherd. It is how they like to say “Hi”. I have looked after these friends of mine with all the care I would a favored dog. Trimming hooves, doctoring injuries, feeding, watering, scratching their backs and under their chins. Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks and look well to thy herds. Proverbs 27:23 And now…..comes the time of year in which their lives come to an end. I understand when other people do everything in their power to not get attached to their meat animals, calling them names such as meatball or hamburger in order to lessen the pain. But as for me, I feel that since God has given me these animals to care for, then I must show them the same care as I do all the other animals. Many people butcher in the fall after the threat of flys are past and they can save on feeding hay through the winter. We butcher in late winter to make preparations for all the new kids that will be born in spring. We also do it now because when all those baby goats are born, I no longer have time to spend with the wethers. This is the time of year when “taking dominion” doesn’t come easy to me. It is a sober time of year, but also one for which I am very grateful to our Father for His provision. It is a time of seemingly ultimate destruction, but also one for building the strength of my family. A time to add to our larder.
The taking of an animal’s life in an intensely personal act for me. I make sure that I am involved because I feel a deep responsibility towards these animals I have lovingly raised. I personally feel, at least in my case, it would be cowardly to ask or expect someone other than myself to do the deed, so that I would not have to feel the gravity of the act. When we started raising goats for meat, I did a lot of study into the various ways of slaughtering animals and the stress involved for them, and I found much scientific proof that the slitting of the throat causes much less stress and trauma to the animal. This was quite a revelation for me. I have always been a hunter of elk and mule deer and have always been careful to place my shots well so that the animal did not suffer. They were almost always dead before I arrived. But when slaughtering your own animals, they transition from life to death beneath your own hand – Very personal indeed! I personally believe, because of the instruction God gave to the Israelite people on how to slaughter sacrificial animals, that He had real reasons for doing so in the manor He prescribed. A couple of those might be…
- It is sure, quick and humane to the animal.
- It made man take personal responsibility for the taking of an animal’s life.
There are numerous times the scriptures say “And he shall lay his hand upon the head of his offering, and kill it.” This applied to every four footed animal slain and even the birds offered were killed with man’s bare hands. Not exactly something for the squeamish. There are several things I would like to point out from these passages. This was not done with a rifle at a distance – it was not a shot between the eyes. This was up close and personal – with a knife – touching the animal. The killing was done personally by the man, for himself or his family. I know how distasteful all this sounds, but after killing my share of animals, in all my years of hunting, I can tell you that this method is much less stressful, with no trauma, and is a much calmer method for the animal. Sometimes the animal doesn’t even acknowledge that anything has happened before it collapses.
Here’s a thought for you. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly equipped unto all good works. II Timothy 2:16,17 Is the manor in which you take dominion over the creatures of creation considered “good works”? I should say so! All our orthopraxy does. It does matter!
This has been a very long winded approach to relate to you and to those who would ask me how I could possibly kill those animals I cared for, that this seems to me to be the best and most noble method I know of. My animals live a happy life (just a little anthropomorphism there – Hi Bambi). They are not over crowded in rank conditions. They do not wallow in their own excrement. They are never left alone but have other goats and sometimes humans to keep them company (goats are very social animals.) They are well fed. They are cared for physically. They are enjoyed by their goatherd. And when their time comes, they are not dragged with chains or shocked with electric prods to get them to enter terrified, onto a killing floor. They are gently led or carried, by me, to a secluded pen where I spend several minutes talking to them and stroking them to calm them even further. Then I or my son lay our hand upon their head and end their life calmly, with respect, with awe and with thankfulness to God for His abundant provision to my family. Very personal indeed!
We then proceed to hoist up, eviscerate and skin the carcass and then hang it to let it age for several days to a week before cutting it up ourselves and processing it ourselves. Below I have included a few pictures of the processes. What these pictures do not show is that this whole process is very much a family affair. Both Tyler and Matthew assist in slaughter and cutting, and Janis and I do all the packaging. Thats the way it is on a multi-generational farm.
Carrying a Wether to the Pen
Calming Talk and Stroking
Slaughter
March 13, 2008 at 10:04 am
Allen, what a blessing to see someone rightly steward their animals in obedience to God’s Word. I have never eaten goat before; how do you like to prepare it? Keep up the good works. BTW, tell Tyler we picked up several pieces of draft animal equipment yesterday all in working condition, all American made from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s — 2 sorghum cane presses, a large corn grinder, a 1905 Dain hay press (makes square bales), an Oliver plow, a John Deere 14″ disk, a McCormick Deering corn planter, McCormick Deering cultivator, and a McCormick Deering hay rake. Now we can be about producing food our animal’s need as well as our own. We will be baling hay by June, Lord willing.
March 14, 2008 at 11:01 am
Allen,
I echo Tom’s sentiments. I have always just assumed that a bullet would be quicker and more humane then a knife; which only goes to show how thoroughly modern I am. Thank you, I learned something today.
I have a question though. I’ve heard that if an animal’s wind-pipe is cut when the major blood vessels are, that this induces panic because they can no longer breath. Is that true in your experience? And do you try to cut the jugulars only?
Also, have you thought about perhaps training some of your wethers as pack animals and selling them? I hear they make wonderfully willing pack animals, being able to go anywhere a man can go, and carry almost as much as a strong man (40 to 50 pounds). I know the U.S. Forest Service uses them on especially rough and rocky trips not suited to horses or mules. Your wethers look like big strappin’ lads; it’s just a thought. I’m not trying to get you to stop slaughtering them, just suggesting perhaps another market. Wonderful post, keep up the good work.
Rev. Tom,
I’m always amazed at your resourcefulness. Where did you find all that antiquated equipment still in good repair? You don’t have to tell me; but I stand amazed at God’s provision! Thanks as well for your faithful emails. I know I don’t answer back, but believe me, I do mull them over…
March 14, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Allen, Randall asks a good question concerning the cutting of the throat. I imagine they bleed out so quick that they loose consciousness near instantly. Is this correct?
Randall, it was the Lord’s gracious providence and timely provision. I had been looking into the prices and availability of various farm implements and realized that it would be very costly and time consuming. But as the Lord already knew we had need of them, He orchestrated the circumstances behind their acquisition. We knew they were eventually going to be sold, be we were told there was one individual who wanted them all. Over the months we had approached him a number of times, but he wasn’t at all ready. Then Art called him, asking if he knew where one could get an Oliver plow. It just so happened he had one, though located somewhere else, and the conversation led to a visit by Art and me and the sale of all his equipment. We are most thankful, though we know it means a lot of hard work.
March 14, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Pastor, I have always been a steak man and when cutting up deer, elk and beef I have always cut as many steaks as possible with a few roasts and only leftovers ground into burger. But with a goat there are not any large cuts and the steaks are tiny. We end up with more burger, stew meat and soup bones. Bar-b-Q the word.
Randall, In my reading – and experience bears it out, the one thing that is sure to induce panic is restraining an animal that is not used to being restrained. I have watched videos of middle eastern folks cutting just the artery but they have to hold the animal down on the ground which is very unnatural. There seems to be much more struggle and panic and it takes much longer. As far as the cut goes – you know how it is when you cut yourself with a very sharp knife – it takes several seconds for pain to really register. I believe it is the same with the goat, and by that time it has lost consciousness. The animal is senseless in just a couple seconds. Making sure the blade is very sharp and cutting through both sides in a single stroke seems as humane as can be attained. Hope that helps.
I have been very interested in pack goats but I really don’t have the room here to keep all the animals I would like to. I think it would be cool hunt elk or go on family hikes in the mountains with pack goats to carry the gear. They are so personable.
March 15, 2008 at 7:24 am
Allen,
Thanks, that all makes perfect sense.
March 20, 2008 at 7:26 am
Allen,
Thank you for this post. My daughters and I were so greatly blessed by your the sharing of your heart in something that seems repulsive to our modern society. My daughters are studying goats and goat care and desire to begin raising them… primarily for milk, but also for meat. This post really brought to light how personal it is to be responsible for the lives and deaths of God’s creatures. We thank and praise Him for men like you who love and are stewarding His creation in HIS truth. Keep it up, brother!
BTW… your post on Homeschool Smug smacked me around a little… Thank you!
April 8, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I as well raise goats for my family and have found the ‘Halal’ or Kosher method to the most humane. I read a study by a University (Texas U I think) where multiple electrode implants were put into the brain of a goats at an early age. They were raised to slaughter weight together and then have were killed by traditional method used by most slaughter houses (bolt stun gun to the head) and the other half were killed using the Kosher method. Consistently, the kosher groups’ data showed no change in brain activity after cutting for 3 seconds, and then the animal quickly drops all brain activity as if they were simply falling into a deep sleep. Meanwhile, the heart rate remained for an extended time period (thus resulting in a better meat) ridding the carcass of blood. The bolt method consistently produced high pain waves through out the brain and the heart was stopped at 3 sec resulting in more blood in the meat.
The easy way most often isn’t the best. Thanks for the post!
April 4, 2009 at 8:28 am
Hello Allen,
I am very interested in your method of killing. I also believe it is a very personal and spiritual act, after all this creature is giving it’s life for your sustenance. Having them calm is key to a good outcome. I have a few questions I hope you can answer; what type of knife do you use? Where is the optimum location to make the cut? Do you cut the wind pipe as well as the artery? I have several animals that will be butchered for Easter and I would like very much to employ your method.
Thank-you,
Wyl
April 6, 2009 at 10:11 am
Wyl,
Slaughtering an animal in this manner is such a personal act that it makes it much harder to do, at least for me. I do believe that it is the most kind and respectful method. The problem for me is in overcoming my own fears of messing up. That first motion made is extremely nerve wracking for me, but once it is done the apprehension leaves me and the animal simply becomes meat that needs taken care of – meat for which I am very thankful for. Thankful to God and for the animal. I do not have any anthropomorphic notions in my head but it does help me to voice my thankfulness to the animal before I take it’s life. It has done what God designed it to do. It has finished it’s task. And I got to watch it cavort in the pasture with myself and the other goats, so I know it had a good life. It is a good end.
We have had mobile Butchers come and slaughter the beef steers we have raised here and the end product is not nearly as good. Using the Halal or Kosher method there is far, far less blood left in the meat.
I believe with all my heart that you will be glad yo choose this method. I perused your site and it is evident you care for your animals. It is good to care for them at their end.
Yes,calmness is paramount! As far as the knife goes, well it is nothing special. If I remember correctly, it is advised that you use a blade that is twice as long as the animals neck is wide (don’t quote me on that). I have a machete that I bought at our local farm store that was made for clearing brush. It has a spring steel blade that is 24″ long. I would not feel comfortable using a shorter blade because the whole thing can be done with one deliberate stroke. Make sure it is extremely sharp and there will be no resistance from the tissues (I was very surprised at the lack of resistance to the blade). This machete sharpens up very nice (my son does the sharpening for me on a diamond honing stone). I make the cut right below the jaw bone and I begin on one side, slicing through the arteries on both sides as well as the windpipe. So far I have not had a bad result.
If I have any advise, I would just say that a person can be apprehensive only until the first twitch of your own muscles. From then on, there is no turning back. Be deliberate! It helps to tell myself that this is the method used by mankind since creation.
I pray God will bless your desire to treat your animals right.
Thanks for stopping in.
Allen