Harvesting of Lujiao / Antler Velvet

[Guest guest]

Hi Kath & All,

 

Kath wrote:

> i've been investigating delayed growth in childhood. a couple of posts

> have recommended lu jiao or lu jiao sheng which is specific for tx this

> disorder. as a vegan, i have avoided lu jiao as my understanding of the

> harvesting process causes a great deal of pain and suffering to the

> deer. the velvet is highly vascular, and my knowledge of the harvesting

> procedure involves a bloody process, painful and stressful to the

> animals. does anyone know something different about the harvesting procedure

> of lujiao? Kath Bartlett

 

Kath, as a veterinarian but hopeless carnivore, I agree.

 

From reading WWW, my understanding of the CHINESE use of Antler

Velvet is that young, highly vascular velvet is the most highly

prized (and priced!), especially young, fresh velvet with some blood

remaining in it.

 

IMO, scraping velvet from the horn of a LIVE deer is a very cruel

process, EVEN IF local anaesthetic is administered around the horn-

base beforehand. I doubt very much if Chinese deer farmers use a

local anaesthetic for that purpose.

 

However, as velvet dry weight is tiny relative to the weight of the

whole antler, and as antler itself is removed as a medicinal, I think

that most deer farmers would remove older (and less vascular) velvet

AFTER dehorning the deer.

 

Dehorning, even done under local anaesthetic, is stressful (but less

cruel than scraping off velvet from a live deer) for any animal,

especially deer unused to human handling.

 

Finally, the documented presence of CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease - a

transmissible prion disease akin to BSE / Kuru) in cervids in USA

raises a huge question as to the SAFETY of deer products from farming

systems that do not practice USA / EU protocols of food traceability

and safety. Personally, I would not use antler products from China.

 

Indeed, many colleagues in VBMA (Vet Med Botanical Assoc) avoid

almost ALL medicinals of animal origin. Exceptions would include

honey, meat, gelatin and other animal products that are deemed

acceptable as a normal human food in USA / EU and whose food safety

can be assured under our existing food legislation.

 

For most animal-sourced Chinese medicinals, a plant-based substitute

can be used instead.

 

Best regards,

 

[Guest guest]

Phil:

 

thank you for this detailed and informative post. it is interesting and most

helpful.

 

kath

 

On Feb 2, 2008 7:53 PM, < wrote:

 

> Hi Kath & All,

>

> Kath wrote:

> > i've been investigating delayed growth in childhood. a couple of posts

> > have recommended lu jiao or lu jiao sheng which is specific for tx this

> > disorder. as a vegan, i have avoided lu jiao as my understanding of the

> > harvesting process causes a great deal of pain and suffering to the

> > deer. the velvet is highly vascular, and my knowledge of the harvesting

> > procedure involves a bloody process, painful and stressful to the

> > animals. does anyone know something different about the harvesting

> procedure

> > of lujiao? Kath Bartlett

>

> Kath, as a veterinarian but hopeless carnivore, I agree.

>

> From reading WWW, my understanding of the CHINESE use of Antler

> Velvet is that young, highly vascular velvet is the most highly

> prized (and priced!), especially young, fresh velvet with some blood

> remaining in it.

>

> IMO, scraping velvet from the horn of a LIVE deer is a very cruel

> process, EVEN IF local anaesthetic is administered around the horn-

> base beforehand. I doubt very much if Chinese deer farmers use a

> local anaesthetic for that purpose.

>

> However, as velvet dry weight is tiny relative to the weight of the

> whole antler, and as antler itself is removed as a medicinal, I think

> that most deer farmers would remove older (and less vascular) velvet

> AFTER dehorning the deer.

>

> Dehorning, even done under local anaesthetic, is stressful (but less

> cruel than scraping off velvet from a live deer) for any animal,

> especially deer unused to human handling.

>

> Finally, the documented presence of CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease - a

> transmissible prion disease akin to BSE / Kuru) in cervids in USA

> raises a huge question as to the SAFETY of deer products from farming

> systems that do not practice USA / EU protocols of food traceability

> and safety. Personally, I would not use antler products from China.

>

> Indeed, many colleagues in VBMA (Vet Med Botanical Assoc) avoid

> almost ALL medicinals of animal origin. Exceptions would include

> honey, meat, gelatin and other animal products that are deemed

> acceptable as a normal human food in USA / EU and whose food safety

> can be assured under our existing food legislation.

>

> For most animal-sourced Chinese medicinals, a plant-based substitute

> can be used instead.

>

> Best regards,

>

>

>

 

 

 

--

Kath Bartlett, LAc, MS, BA UCLA

Oriental Medicine

Experienced, Dedicated, Effective

 

Flying Dragon Liniment:

Effective pain relief for muscles & joints

Formulated by Kath Bartlett, Traditional Chinese Herbalist

Available at Asheville Center for , or web order at:

https://www.kamwo.com/shop/product.php?productid=17442 & cat=0 & page=1

 

 

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