Japan says it is unconcerned with an American move to ban the slaughter of horses for the dinner table as it receives an ample supply from Canada.
The US House of Representatives voted this month to ban the killing of horses for human consumption. Some 90,000 horses were slaughtered last year with almost all the meat exported to Japan, France or Belgium.
The ban needs to be approved by the Senate, and President George W Bush’s administration has opposed the measure.
Canada slaughters an average of about 62,000 horses a year, of which about 25,000 come from the U.S., according to Agriculture Canada statistics. About 65,000 are slaughtered each year in the U.S. Horses hauled to the plants include race horses and ranch horses, wild horses and family horses.
In Japan, where horse sashimi is a regional delicacy, only 735 of the 8,800 tonnes of horse meat imported last year came from the United States, Japan’s Agriculture Ministry said.
Supporters of the practice said banning killing in the U.S. may simply mean animals are sent to Canada or to Mexico, they said.
The Canadian Horse Defence Coalition (CHDC) says it does not matter whether horses are killed for human food or pet food.
“The concerns are the same. Horses shouldn’t be slaughtered.”
The CHDC is trying to get a similar law passed in Canada that would ban horse slaughter and shut down horse exports for slaughter. As well, they are trying to get an MP to put across a private members bill. Crosland says the U.S. ban will help the Canadian effort by raising the issue and creating public awareness.
In an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted in 2004, two-thirds of Canadians are against slaughtering horses for human meat. In Alberta, 62% were opposed.
Anti-slaughter groups hope by then the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act will be passed. It would permanently ban the slaughter of American horses and exportation of horses for slaughter.
They have used the 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand which was slaughtered for human consumption in their campaigns. As a racehorse, Ferdinand won eight of 29 starts and earned US$3,777,978, retiring as what was then the fifth leading money winner of all time.
Horse meat is sweet, tender, low in fat, and high in protein. Just like beef and pork, in some societies there is a taboo regarding the consumption of horse meat.
Horse meat has had somewhat of a resurgence in popularity in Europe and Canada in recent years, as horses are not susceptible to BSE (mad cow disease).
Horse meat has about 40% less calories than even the leanest beef, while supplying 50% more protein and up to 30% more iron.
There is a strong horse-meat consumer market in Quebec.
