Sad, I’m starting to think the Australian farming community seemingly supports the live trade and the cruelty that animals unfortunate enough to be caught up in this have to endure that treatment.
I say this in the belief that – OTHERWISE THE FARMING COMMUNITY WOULD OPPOSE LIVE TRADE (SHEEP, GOATS AND CATTLE) AND NOT RELEASE ANIMALS TO THIS BARBARIC END.
Up jumped the jumbuck and sprang into the billabong
“You’ll never ship me alive”, said he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
“You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me
Bill Hilliger, the grazing community does support the live sheep trade, but not because they want to as a first principle. When local demand is high and supply is low and grass is plentiful, nobody particularly wants to get bottom money by sending sheep to this cruelest fate.
But when the opposite is true – like in a drought, the price of sheep falls so low that it’s not economical to even shoot the starving creatures – much less ship them anywhere. So the poor creatures starve and drop like flies in the paddocks and the crows eat their eyes before they die.
The live sheep export trade falls somewhere between these two extremes.
So I dunno, which is worse. It’s a bastard of a life being a sheep either way.
Go anna
A famous conductor once gave this advice to his orchestra; “try everything once, except incest & folk dancing”. Stop trying things in moderation and try everything once.
31 thoughts on “The life and death of a sheep: a poem”
Bill Hilliger
September 28, 2012 at 3:34 pmSad, I’m starting to think the Australian farming community seemingly supports the live trade and the cruelty that animals unfortunate enough to be caught up in this have to endure that treatment.
I say this in the belief that – OTHERWISE THE FARMING COMMUNITY WOULD OPPOSE LIVE TRADE (SHEEP, GOATS AND CATTLE) AND NOT RELEASE ANIMALS TO THIS BARBARIC END.
Mike Jones
September 28, 2012 at 3:40 pmScupper the Rats
There was movement at the export docks,
The townsfolk start to weep.
The livestock look so traumatised
Especially badly-treated sheep.
The pollies scan the recent poles
And worry about the votes
Of people in those marginal seats
And refugees in boats.
The export trade has got no soul
Nothing interrupts their sleep
Or stands in the way of making dough
By torturing the sheep.
We’ve all seen states like Pak1stan
Not give a toss about who or what they kill
Or how they dish out justice
And stone their people for a thrill.
So it isn’t hard to understand,
That coming a distant last
Is caring for our Australia sheep.
It’s not a product or a brand.
It’s now high time that we sort out
This bloody awful mess.
Remove some blood from all those hands
Of people who care less.
And stand together with resolve
So Australia makes the grade
By shutting down our country’s shame
The live sheep export trade.
ernmalleyscat
September 28, 2012 at 3:49 pmIf only they’d learnt from the swagman
Up jumped the jumbuck and sprang into the billabong
“You’ll never ship me alive”, said he
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
“You’ll come a-waltzing Matilda, with me
Mike Jones
September 28, 2012 at 3:51 pmBill Hilliger, the grazing community does support the live sheep trade, but not because they want to as a first principle. When local demand is high and supply is low and grass is plentiful, nobody particularly wants to get bottom money by sending sheep to this cruelest fate.
But when the opposite is true – like in a drought, the price of sheep falls so low that it’s not economical to even shoot the starving creatures – much less ship them anywhere. So the poor creatures starve and drop like flies in the paddocks and the crows eat their eyes before they die.
The live sheep export trade falls somewhere between these two extremes.
So I dunno, which is worse. It’s a bastard of a life being a sheep either way.
And not great fun to be a grazier either.
Goanna Dareyou
September 28, 2012 at 3:57 pmAlas dear Doggonauts
It’s true and
A cause of consternation.
My best and oldest mate, MJ
Has been smashed by mod3ration
Mort
September 28, 2012 at 6:12 pmUnbeliveable that they couldn’t find a few spare guns in Pakistan to put the
sheep down with less suffering.
drmick
September 28, 2012 at 6:47 pmGo anna
A famous conductor once gave this advice to his orchestra; “try everything once, except incest & folk dancing”. Stop trying things in moderation and try everything once.
Chris Johnson
September 28, 2012 at 11:35 pmHad it been shiploads of corgis, labradors and kelpie’s the world would have had Australia’s guts for garters.
Bill Hilliger
September 29, 2012 at 3:32 pmYou have a point there Chris Johnson
drmick
September 30, 2012 at 6:33 amRear Admiral Jones has done it this time. He will have to join the convoy of the incontinent now.