Julian Cope presents Head Heritage

And I have seen dying lambs chucked on the muck heap for being 'runts', several live sheep with their rear ends being eaten away due to maggot infestations, calves smashed over the head with metal buckets for not 'drinking downwards' when their three day old instincts told them to 'suck upwards'. ALL unnecessary. (And I've worked on a dozen or more farms as the farm I worked at ran a relief service.)

Also, where you get the idea from that everyone who lives in the countryside is aware of what actually happens to animals - wild or farmed -I do not know. Plus the assumption that country dwellers automatically agree with hunting, animal farming etc. They aren't and they don't.

From my experience it seems to have little to do with town, country or political persuasion. I have met Labour Party Young Socialists who were vocal (and angry) in their opposition to people 'caring about animals' when humans were in need of support, conversely a neo-nazi vegan (honest), i.e., (often extreme) left AND right wing people who can be either/or and do not fit into the lefty-townie-anti-hunting box.

I do not know you and am not suggesting that you are personally cruel to animals by the way but would be interested to hear how important you feel animal welfare is to most farmers. I believe that the chief concern for farmers is money to be made from the animals and animal welfare comes second.

I think simple (though probably expensive) measures could easily be put in place to lessen farm animals' distress caused by the transportation to slaughterhouses and think something should be put in place for animals to at least be slaughtered in situ. for example.

etc.