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

The easy way most often isn’t the best. Thanks for the post!

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!

Thanks, that all makes perfect sense.

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.

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.

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…