Vonderhaar 1

Caroline Vonderhaar
Dr. Jackson-Taylor
English 1201
14 July 2019
Annotated Bibliography

My essay is research I have done to attempt answering the question; Are meat packing
plants use humane treatment while working with the animals to ensure animal welfare, or do the
animals suffer in the process? I want to know how the animals are treated; many activists’ groups
show the bad side but is there a good side? Are what the animal activists saying true?

“Animal Welfare: What Is It?” American Veterinary Medical Association. Accessed 7 July 2019.
www.avma.org.

“Animal Welfare: What Is It?” is on the American Veterinary Medical Association

website also known as the AVMA. The website explains what animal welfare is from their
professional view and what the definitions is and means. The article explains how important
animals should be handled, managed and their nutrition program properly.

This academic article is targeting people who are wanting to know what animal welfare
is, the definition and what all it entails. Although the article has nothing to do with how animals
are treated in meat packing plants, it gives the reader knowledge of the terminology used
throughout the other articles.

I found this article while searching the web what definitions of words meant for my other
articles. I know it is reliable because the American Veterinary Medical Association runs the
website. I had to go outside of the Sinclair library because I could not find all of the information,
I needed to get my research completed.

I plan on using many areas of this website and article to help the reader understand
terminology. Especially animal welfare because I have learned in my research welfare is a big
part of keeping the animals save and healthy.

Grandin, Temple. “Evaluation of Different Captive Bolt Lengths and Breed Influence upon Post-
Stun Hind Limb and Forelimb Activity in Fed Cattle at a Commercial Slaughter Facility.”
Meat Science, Elsevier, 3 May 2018, www.sciencedirect.com

“Evaluation of Different Captive Bolt Lengths and Breed Influence upon Post Stun Hind
Limb and Forelimb Activity in Fed Cattle at a Commercial Slaughter Facility” was written by
Temple Grandin, Which I have found to be a legend in the agricultural world. This article was
written in a Meat Science book in 2018. Throughout the book it specifically speaks about bolt
guns, that put the animals down. Typically, the animals are still moving after the bolt gun has
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been used however, the animal is not alive, it is the nerve endings still firing but the animal is
dead.

The writer’s purpose in writing this book is to educate the world on why the meat
packing plants do the things they do. The professionals like Miss Grandin are trying to improve
the animal welfare and explain to costumers what is going on with the process of their food.

The author is well known in the agricultural field, she has her Ph. D and is a Professor of
Animal Science at Colorado State University. Temple Grandin is known for her work with
making animals to feel more comfortable to improve the overall production of animals.

Using this book in my research is a no brainer, she is one of the best in the field for
studying humane treatment and how the animals want to be treated. Her studies are exactly what
I am looking for for the research of my essay. Many of many quotes and information will be
coming from her book for my essay.

“Meat-Packing Industry” Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. 2018, 1p. World
Book,Inc., Chicago. Accessed 14 July 2019.

“Meat-Packing Industry” source by Funk and Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia explains meat
packing. The article starts off by mentioning what meat packing is and how it came about. Later
on, in the article it switches gears to regulations of the process and what needs to be set in place
to be approved by the USDA. After the regulations the article continues on to mention how and
the types of way cattle and hogs can be slaughtered. This gives an overview of the process.

The writer’s purpose of writing this is to educate those who do not the meat packing
industry. The audience is the consumers for this article. This article is meant more for
understanding the process than choosing a side.

The definitions and information came from a data base called; Funk and Wagnalls New
World Encyclopedia. So, there is no bias side, just what the process is. It was published in World
Book, Inc., Chicago.
This article is crucial to the reader understanding what happens during the meat packing
process. Many consumers or even agriculturalist know what happens in the plant because not
many people want to know, they assume it’s bad. Helping the reader know the process will then
lead them into what they think is humane and what isn’t since my job is to just provide the reader
with the information to create their own conclusions.

Tarrant, Jeff. “Mobile Slaughter: Are the Units on the Road to Success?” Public Health Service.
Vol 7 (7). www.fsis.usda.gov

“Mobile Slaughter” by Tarrant, Jeff found on the United States Department of

Agriculture website was written in 2002 although this article is older, this is a somewhat new
concept. Animals are not accepted in meat packing plants if they are not able to walk in by
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themselves. This being said, what happens to the animals that get hurt at the ranches or farms?
The animals must be put down so they do not suffer, unless the animals can be slaughtered at the
farm. Slaughtering animals on the ranch or farm would create a local sense, many feel more
comfortable if they know how the animals are raised where it took place, this process gives
consumers reassurance if they do not trust meat packing plants.

Jeff Tarrant is giving ranchers and farmers other ways to slaughter their animals to create
that local feel for consumers to feel more comfortable. Also, the article is informing the reader
that the USDA approved the first mobile slaughter, this is not just meant for consumer reading,
but also for farmers and ranchers to see what’s coming.
Jeff Tarrant is with the U.S. Public Health Service who released this article. The USDA
only put credible sources on their website because people go there looking for credible sources. I
know it is credible because it is on a government site and gives his credentials.

Mobile slaughtering can show the farm or ranch families how the process is done so they
know everything was humanely done and the animals did not suffer. This also gives consumers
comfort because many think if it is done local that it safer and humane, it gives the consumer
relief knowing this.
Thomas, Joanne etc. “Investigating Baseline Red Meat Slaughter Operator Capacity and
Directions for development in Lao PDR”

“Investigating Baseline Red Meat Slaughter Operator Capacity and Directions for
development in Lao PDR” by Joanne Thomas is one of the best articles for my research. The
article starts by interviewing the employees that worked at a meat packing plant to vote if the
plants were using humane ways or not in the plant, the vote was defiantly split. However, the
article continues on to explain the changes that have taken place of the years to improve the
workplace and animal welfare within the plants.

This article was written for Tropical Animal Health and Production in 2017. The
databased use to find this article was Environmental Complete. This article is neat because its not
that it takes side but shows what the employees feel about the process.

In total there is eight authors that worked together to create this article. I know the author
is credible because the article is in the database, if this was not a reliable source then it wouldn’t
be in the database. The author used correct formatting and was very professional while writing
this article which gives the audience confidence in what is being said.

This article will show what employees feel about the treatment of animals, what they
don’t think is right and research the authors did to create this article. The information is=n this
article will give my readers in sight of the meat packing plants without me actually having to
interview all of the employees myself, this is a time saver.
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Vaughn. Aaron. “USDA Investigates Animal Cruelty Claims Against Slaughterhouse” FOX 13.
21 August 2012. www.fox13now.com

“USDA Investigates Animal Cruelty Claims Against Slaughterhouse” by Aaron Vaughn

appeared in Fox 13 News in 2012. The main point of this news article is to prove that there is
animal abuse within slaughterhouses. The Federal food safety officials shut down this
slaughterhouse in California for an investigation.

The audience is for the general public of consumers and activist, to know what is
happening with their food in the slaughterhouse and that it is being investigated. Consumers
especially in in California were affected but also other states the meats were shipped to. Many
who are already meat packing plants will use this in part of the case to get the plants shutdown.
A picture and video were released of the abuse of animals.

The author is Aaron Vaughn, writes articles through interviewing, taking notes and
talking with people about what happened. He is not an expert in animal science, but he is a
professional at creating articles for the news. The author did not write much or his opinion about
the slaughterhouse incident but just gave what has been said by the FDA.

This article news release is relevance to my topic because it is a case of abuse, the
animals were not treated humanely, and the news released what happened. Of course, the
agriculturalist wouldn’t want to share the bad news that people have done so the news reports
help the public understand that sometimes it’s not always perfect. This article will help me show
that animals aren’t always treated humanely to help create the other sides argument.
Vonderhaar, Rachael. Vonderhaar Farms Inc.

Rachael Vonderhaar, a farmer, my mother and a woman who raises 25 head of cattle.
This is an interview which I haven’t had yet, I plan on having it done once I get all my other
information organized to put into the research essay. However, since I’m part of the operation I
know what goes on our farm, I just don’t pay attention what happens when they leave here. My
family raises beef cattle, which we sell to producers, then they sell the cattle to meat packers.

There isn’t really an audience because it’s just my mother and I while I ask questions.
Farmers love educating the public because most of the consumers do not know what it takes or
what the process is. Educating the public is important so people know where their food comes
from.
My mother has farmed with my father for 25 years, which she has been on many boards
throughout the agricultural field. This is a credible source because she has been in the field for so
long and she loves studying agriculture.

Interviewing my mother helps get the farmers point of view on meat packing plants and if
they feel humane treatment is being used. She also deals with meat packing plants for the boards
she sits on, so she knows what is going on with packing plants.
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