US forest issues kill order for feral cows in New Mexico

Yep. We have a "kill pen" not far from where I live where people bring old or unwanted horses that the kids weren't interested in or costs too much to maintain. Often these "domestic" horses are so neglected and starved that they are beyond saving. The "kill pens" are an auction house where the buyers are usually slaughterhouses that use the horses for dogfood, glue and such. Occasionally "do gooders" come in and try to rescue a few of the sounder looking animals, hoping to buy something cheap and maybe make a buck if they can by selling it to another hapless set of parents who want a pony for their dear little girl. Most horsemen see the "kill pens" as a necessary means of culling the "herd". In the bigger scheme it serves a purpose.
The BLM manages the feral herds and they struggle to limit the number of horses on the open range to what a number the range can support. They round up older horses and those closer to starvation and hold them in pens on huge farms where they will spend the rest of their lives with the exception of a few scant number that are deemed healthy and sound enough to send to public auctions. Often the buyers of these wild BLM horses don't realize just how wild and difficult these animals are and just as often the horse ends up going to a "kill pen".
It is my understanding that the ban on slaughter of domestic horses only extended to human consumption. That ban was actually allowed to lapse if I am not mistaken about 3-4 years ago. Horse meat apparently is popular thru central Asia (the "stans") and France (go figure). The Chinese prefer burros... which are yet another feral problem we have.
Personally, I think the solution is to have an open season on all the vegans and the problem will resolve itself. Apologies to my mis-guided son-in-law in advance.
I'll bet the son-in-law is out of place on Thanksgiving? Everyone pecking him on the head like a sick chicken
 
Ranchers hated/hate the broom rails. Before the Wild Horse and Burro Act passed in 1971, I was going to college in Flagstaff. Every couple of months we would go down to the desert and earn $5.00 a tail, shooting them. $50.00-$60.00 back then was a fair amount of money. Burros paid the same but we're worse. They would muddy up a waterhole and then keep cattle, deer or bighorn away.
Friend near Dallas had a sick horse. Said they trucked to 0le Mehiko to be euthanized.
 
Actually, you can not sell an adopted (that means pay for with cash) mustang for over seven years. They are not as wild as you may think. The prisoners halter break them and saddle break many of them. They are as tame or tamer that the rough stock that gets turned out on the back 40 the winter. There are also very strict rules as for as pens and fencing before you can adopt a mustang. My son-in-law has two of them. Yes I know a few horse breakers than have been in prison here in WY. I am not against eating horse. I had it in France when stationed in Germany right next to the Frenck border.
I do recall they had a time period where the adopted horses could not be sold - and I was aware of the prison program that allows select inmates serve out a portion of their sentence working on breaking and training these horses, but I don't know that all the horses put up for adoption go thru the breaking and training. I may be wrong. Thought only one or two of the farms actually used inmates and some of the others were just "holding pens". Anyway, I appreciate the information. I have a passive interest in the subject because I have worked with local rescue programs and still own two horses of which one is a rescue. BTW - do you recall what horse meat tasted like? I always joke with my grandkids that I am hungry enough to eat a horse and they get mortified thinking I plan to eat one of mine...
 
I'll bet the son-in-law is out of place on Thanksgiving? Everyone pecking him on the head like a sick chicken
He keeps a low profile around the holidays, and we have an understanding we won't have any vegan talk at the table. I did catch him eyeing the turkey gravy with a look of desire so there maybe hope yet.
 
I do recall they had a time period where the adopted horses could not be sold - and I was aware of the prison program that allows select inmates serve out a portion of their sentence working on breaking and training these horses, but I don't know that all the horses put up for adoption go thru the breaking and training. I may be wrong. Thought only one or two of the farms actually used inmates and some of the others were just "holding pens". Anyway, I appreciate the information. I have a passive interest in the subject because I have worked with local rescue programs and still own two horses of which one is a rescue. BTW - do you recall what horse meat tasted like? I always joke with my grandkids that I am hungry enough to eat a horse and they get mortified thinking I plan to eat one of mine...
I know the BLM has several thousand horses in holding pens in many states. I guess the only ones I really follow are the ones that are in Wyoming. They adopt them only after being tamed down and worked with a little here. They don't want them escaping back into the wild or being sold as meat. As I remember the taste of horse was not much different than beef. French food was new to me at the time. I was a farm kid from the Midwest tasting Cordon Bleu, escargot and Cognac for my first time.
 
This has happened so many times I can't even begin to count them. It just makes no sense ,you could make money instead of spending money by issuing a permit to hunt these animals. Keep your locals happy get the job done and make money instead of hiring contractors and spending money!
That would require getting their heads out of somewhere. I don't mean mud either.
 
It's my understanding the flyovers and shooting will be handled by the USDA Predation management team. This is the same group that handles the Coyote management during Fawning time in Antelope country. Where did you see the $100k price tag, just curious as I'd like to read more about it. Personal opinion for me, getting the cattle out of this area is good for the Elk and Deer herd. 150 head of cattle hunkered down in a general area can be devastating to that area. I've seen it over my 40 years of hunting Arizona. Rancher will move 100-200 head of cattle into an area and within a couple of weeks most everything else moves out. It's eaten down to nothing with crap all over the place.
The USDA flew several times working with local game wardens to exterminate all the wild hogs in my area. They don't want us to be able to get any kind of meat on our own, and want us to go through the government for food .(hunger games)?
 
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