1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Food & Drink Meat that's been a carnivore

Discussion in 'General' started by vampalan, 12 Mar 2012.

  1. vampalan

    vampalan What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    18 Jun 2003
    Posts:
    225
    Likes Received:
    1
    Was thinking, what animals in the UK that people normally eat are carnivores?
    Pig's only half count, since they normally eat grain feed and are considered omnivores.
    My guess it is because it is very resource hungry to farm carnivores

    I can't think of any, there are a bunch of sea ones, like tuna.
     
  2. Lance

    Lance Ender of discussions.

    Joined:
    6 May 2010
    Posts:
    3,220
    Likes Received:
    134
    It's not generally considered healthy.

    For instance its not considered healthy to eat:

    Dog
    Cat
    Monkey

    Something about passing diseases and toxins up the food chain.
     
  3. suenstar

    suenstar Collector of Things

    Joined:
    13 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,521
    Likes Received:
    190
    The only carnivorous animal in the UK that I'm aware of being eaten are foxes, though I think it's mostly isolated to rural/countryside areas where hunting for game meat is more regular.

    You can eat badger (along with other animals in the weasel family) too but have to be vary careful as they're well known for carrying diseases.
     
  4. K404

    K404 It IS cold and it IS fast

    Joined:
    11 Sep 2006
    Posts:
    408
    Likes Received:
    20
    Tyrannosaurus meat?
     
  5. Ending Credits

    Ending Credits Bunned

    Joined:
    4 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    5,322
    Likes Received:
    245
    There might be a few insectivores but the fact of the matter is that it's very hard to farm carnivores.
     
  6. steveo_mcg

    steveo_mcg What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    26 May 2005
    Posts:
    5,841
    Likes Received:
    80
    Energy wise its very inefficient. Cows convert 10% of the calories in grass to meat, the farmed carnivore then converts 10% of that energy to meat we then get 10% of that. Much less waste the closer you are to the source, which is why veggies claim they are saving the world.
     
  7. lp1988

    lp1988 Minimodder

    Joined:
    24 Jun 2008
    Posts:
    1,288
    Likes Received:
    64
    Properly the closest are the Pike While a fish it is a carnivore as in hunter.

    And tastes great prepared properly :)
     
  8. SuicideNeil

    SuicideNeil What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    17 Aug 2009
    Posts:
    5,983
    Likes Received:
    345
    I watched a video of a deer eating a baby bird once- not sure if that counts though really....
     
  9. Puk

    Puk (A shrewd and knavish sprite)

    Joined:
    23 Mar 2002
    Posts:
    967
    Likes Received:
    74
    There's a couple of crocodile farms in the UK, i'm guessing they dont eat grain and grass.
     
  10. Pete J

    Pete J Employed scum

    Joined:
    28 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    7,226
    Likes Received:
    1,784
    Ahh, I know the one you mean. Unbelievably harsh - still seems to chirp while being eaten.
     
  11. james-milligan

    james-milligan Minimodder

    Joined:
    21 Sep 2010
    Posts:
    119
    Likes Received:
    3
    This. Its much more efficient to farm herbivores for consumption as they get the most energy from their food which is then transferred to us. Farming carnivores would be costly and not worth it I suppose
     
  12. Ending Credits

    Ending Credits Bunned

    Joined:
    4 Jan 2008
    Posts:
    5,322
    Likes Received:
    245
    Exactly, although it's not quite so simple; we're able to extract more energy from meat than vegetable matter so that narrows the margin. It's also the case that animals can be raised on land that crops don't grow well on (like shrubland). Meat is still a huge energy sink though.
     
  13. Sloth

    Sloth #yolo #swag

    Joined:
    29 Nov 2006
    Posts:
    5,634
    Likes Received:
    208
    Wikipedia link with some quick info on how it all shakes down. Quick and dirty: You take 100 units of producers (plants) to feed 10 units of primary consumers (herbivores) to feed 1 unit of secondary consumers (carnivores).

    It's obviously less effficient, though with our modern farming techniques not impossible to farm carnivores. There just isn't a reason to actually do so. It's still meat, just like eating herbivores, so why lose so much energy by going up a level? The only reason is for speciality foods like crocodiles mentioned above where the intention is to be unique and not a staple food.
     
  14. Da_Rude_Baboon

    Da_Rude_Baboon What the?

    Joined:
    28 Mar 2002
    Posts:
    4,082
    Likes Received:
    135
    Animals we farm are docile and can be kept in large groups, most carnivores are the opposite. As Lance mentioned parasites and diseases can be passed up the food chain. BSE or mad cow disease spread from feeding cows mashed up animals and Ciguatera or fish poisoning come from eating predatory reef fish. I had never heard of it until I went to Fiji where it is common and it has some bizarre effects. Not likely to happen in the UK of course but it is a nice example.
     
  15. Domestic_ginger

    Domestic_ginger What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    16 Mar 2010
    Posts:
    474
    Likes Received:
    7
    You must be joking me that people eat foxes.

    Most animals we farm are that way because they were bred to be. Its not only parasites (although whether they are concentrated is debatable); But Piosons and toxins which are concentrated.
     
  16. BentAnat

    BentAnat Software Dev

    Joined:
    26 Jun 2008
    Posts:
    7,230
    Likes Received:
    219
    Even in the depths of Africa (OK... maybe not quite "the depths" - Namibia), we don't really eat carnivorous animals.
    Of course there are LOADS of fish that eat meat or other fish, but that's not meat.
    Crocodiles get eaten quite regularly, but again, more as a novelty than anything else.
    Most birds that are carnivorous are under protection here.
     
  17. lp1988

    lp1988 Minimodder

    Joined:
    24 Jun 2008
    Posts:
    1,288
    Likes Received:
    64
    Snakes are pretty good, however cold-blooded animal again.

    really not sure about bigger "land" carnivores, can only think of the Crocodile
     
  18. Kovoet

    Kovoet What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    26 Aug 2009
    Posts:
    7,128
    Likes Received:
    348
    Nothing wrong with snake Damn nice. Best meat I have had is Sable, porcupine, ostrich neck and veal.

    sent from HTC Sensation
     
  19. suenstar

    suenstar Collector of Things

    Joined:
    13 Sep 2009
    Posts:
    2,521
    Likes Received:
    190
    It's not that strange of an animal to eat (for farmers at least), it isn't something you'd eat on a regular basis like chicken, beef or pork but is okay for odd occasions when you're out game hunting and want something other than the endless supply of birds you normally end up with.

    I've had it a couple of times in the past as part of a stew with other game meats (usually rabbit and deer), it's a little tougher than other meats I've had and it's not the best tasting meat so definitely not one you eat without an accompanying meat or something else with a strong flavour.
     
  20. AoE

    AoE What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    4 Oct 2011
    Posts:
    1,873
    Likes Received:
    46
    well you can eat Shark steaks, and also in the right delicattesen you can get snake meat, both carnivious :)

    Also Chickens eat earthworms and other bugs
     

Share This Page