Oh I *totally* get that. When I was growing up we had a farm with ~100 head of cattle, and I put in a lot of work out there on weekends. And, of course, hunting is an important part of the Texas lifestyle, so we did a lot of that, too. (Not that I ever actually managed to *shoot* anything, mind you.)
And for me, when you're that aware of the animals as *animals*, then killing them for meat isn't cruel. Animals kill and eat other animals -- it's just part of how things work. You can certainly *make* it cruel (and modern farming techniques often are) but I don't see the act as intrinsically cruel -- as long as you're mindful of where meat comes from.
I respect people who feel otherwise, of course.
Ironically, I rarely eat beef anymore. Most beef these days tastes like crap, compared to what I grew up eating.
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And for me, when you're that aware of the animals as *animals*, then killing them for meat isn't cruel. Animals kill and eat other animals -- it's just part of how things work. You can certainly *make* it cruel (and modern farming techniques often are) but I don't see the act as intrinsically cruel -- as long as you're mindful of where meat comes from.
I respect people who feel otherwise, of course.
Ironically, I rarely eat beef anymore. Most beef these days tastes like crap, compared to what I grew up eating.