There is a difference between human and humane. I think people are forgetting that very important difference.

The last few weeks I’ve been dealing with animal rights activist on my Facebook page and I was quite stunned at what they were saying to me. One of my ‘favorites’ was, “How would you like it if I raped your mother and killed your father and siblings?”.

This comment bothered me in more than just one way. First of all, don’t you dare threaten my family. Second, humans and cattle are not in the same ‘playing field’. Survival of the fittest isn’t about equal rights for everyone.

If animal rights activist had their way:

Cattle would starve. There isn’t enough grass and protein sources for cattle to survive in the winter months. No matter where they are.

There would be cattle deaths because of starvation, hit by vehicles, dehydration, sickness, and disease. If cows ran free who knows how well their health and well being would be.

Calves wouldn’t survive. Calves need a lot of attention. They are susceptible to many diseases. Many of these diseases, such as scours and pneumonia, can kill a calf in a matter of days if not properly treated. Fact: Did you know that if a Hereford cow is in poor health, she will cut her milk supply off, which leads to death of the calf, to keep herself alive? Survival of the fittest.

Bulls would be bulls. Many people don’t know that bulls will fight for dominance of the herd. Most times the smaller bull will either be killed or hurt severely. Survival of the fittest.

Cattle are dangerous. They are NOT pets. Many people could be injured by cattle that are running loose. Momma cows will take anything in the path of their baby. Bulls will fight anything that is in their territory. Not all cows run away.

There would be millions of pounds of food waste.

When you humanize animal agriculture it puts everything in a different light. You’re making these animals human by believing that they actually need to be raised like a child. Animals are completely different than children and have different needs. They do not grow up and become smarter, they do not learn to take care of themselves, they do not learn to not poop where they eat, and they don’t how to live without assistance. So if they’re not humans, why do we keep trying to make them that?

Treating animals humanely is the only way to treat them. But humane and human are two completely different terms. (Humanely: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans OR animals. Human: of, relating to, or affecting people.) Farmers do and will continue to treat their animals humanely and not like humans.

Survival of the fittest is what is comes down to. Either way. If we produce beef products or not. We cannot keep humanizing animal agriculture. We can’t befriend every animal on this earth or there will be no humans. We can live hand in hand, but it requires one to be the dominant species. I prefer that it would be me.