National Antivisection Society
Differences between farm animals and humans
Pigs, sheep, horses, donkeys, cows and goats are all experimented upon. Genetic engineering has led to the use of pigs in xenotransplantation (cross species transplants) research and the use of cattle and sheep to produce human proteins in milk. In one laboratory, 900 pigs were used in radiation experiments spanning several years.
In 1991, it was reported that pigs suffered unauthorised surgery, including being used more than once (surgery that would not have been allowed if authority had been applied for), and lack of post-operative care. The Home Office referred the case for prosecution, but it was dropped through lack of evidence.
A pump was inserted into the hearts of 30 sheep and its power cable brought to the shoulder, or back of the skull, and held in place with screws. 19 died: from infection, bloating abscesses, bleeding or breathing problems, or poor operating technique.
Goats were given the ‘bends’ by being held in air in up to 200 feet of water then killed for tissue study. The results were already known from post-mortems of human diving accident victims.
Embryos were transplanted from racehorses into the wombs of mares of smaller breeds, restricting the nutrients reaching the developing foetus. This led to the birth of smaller than normal runts, to be used to study foetal malnutrition in humans.
What a Waste
- Morphine excites pigs, goats, horses and cattle, but has a sedative effect in humans.
- Pigs, cattle and sheep can be safely sedated with etorphine hydrochloride. It is toxic, sometimes fatal in people.
- Cattle, sheep and horses are unable to vomit.
- Unlike people, pigs can tolerate transplanted tissue for months without drugs to suppress the immune system.
- Pigs are resistant to certain types of muscle relaxants used in people, for example, gallamine and suxamethonium; horses are resistant to suxamethonium.
- Penicillin injected into the muscles of horses can cause extremely adverse reactions, in some cases, death.
- Horses metabolise many drugs quicker than humans; for example, phenylbutazone and chloramphenicol.
- The spleen of cattle, horses, pigs and dogs is different from that of humans.
- There are several major differences between human and sheep circulatory systems.
