Eating guinea pigs: the ‘more ethical and sustainable meat’ | Food & Recipes | ABC Australia
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ส.ค. 2024
- Most Australians think of guinea pigs as pets, but Rees and Col Campbell from north-west Tasmania are farming them for meat. Guinea pig meat has long been popular in many other countries, and this Tassie couple say it’s a more ‘socially, ethically and environmentally responsible’ way for all of us to consume meat. Subscribe ✅ and tap the notification bell 🔔 to be delivered Australian stories every day: ab.co/ABCAus-su...
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If you eat Chicken or beef, then it’s not quite fair to get shocked by this. Guinea pigs were domesticated for their meat, only a few people had them as pets before the Spanish came, no different to how most people eat chicken nowadays, while only a minority have them as pets.
Sounds like a double-standard scenario; drawing the line to shame others for doing things their ancestors did. But modern civilizations rightfully should be shocked and upset to encourage this practice when we've treated these adorable rodents with such luxury and care. Unlike Cows, Pigs, or Chickens no emotional attachments develops from there. But cultivate Dogs, Cats, Guinea Pigs and other rodents for a source of food, then you're met countless provocative(s).
@@TheMightyNReally? Do you understand the differences of culture or not? There are people who don't eat cows! Others, their chickens are their pets and they live their lives as such to their last days!
If you prefer to not eat yours, then that is your right, as is that of those that eat guineas, cows & chickens!
@@TheMightyNthere’s cultures that are shocked and disgusted that people eat cows and pigs 😅
I’m going to get McNuggets after having seen this
It's against my religion to eat pork but I eat other kinds of meat.
As an Aussie I always knew Peru etc ate them, I thiught it was a little weird, until I met a peruvian woman and visited peru, from the mountain villages to dirty broken down shanty towns, they make sense there. They can be kept easily, safely and breed quickly, they dont make huge messes or noises like chickens and roosters, their meat is flavourful unlike bland tasteless chicken and they can survive without dedicated water, ie feed them corn juicy vegetables etc etc daily and thats it. Id love to start a Cuy farm in australia, selling the meat. KF Cuy
Not a very common meat in Latin America as a whole, but pretty ubiquitous in the Peruvian mountains where it is still about the only livestock that can survive at those altitudes with no fodder for anything else.
Andes mountains technically, so Peruvians and Ecuadorian people can eat them
Having reared plenty of ducks for the table, this looks a lot easier and more easily sustainable than rearing ducks in suburban environs
my son, adopted from Colombia, says his birth mom would keep guinea pigs in the kitchen (to keep them warm) and when they felt "weak"and needed meat, she would kill a few and put them in a stew for her kids. And on Colombian missionary introduced guinea pig raising into a nutrition program when she worked in Africa, as a source of protein that was less likely to be stolen than chickens.
city kid coming to a farm „awww they so cute“ farm kid „yeah, they‘re tasty too“ city kid 😢
That's exactly how my daughter and her friends act when they visit us. 😂
@@jacquesjacobs6871 I wonder where they think the packaged meat from the store comes from😂
Completely fair points all around. They seem to live a better life than most pets, being free range like that and getting to graze anywhere they wish. Thanks for sharing.
I breed guinea pigs to sell them at 4 to 6 weeks of age as pets but the ones that do not sell, have to die. I cannot keep them or the populatin would explode. Rather than waste their body, I process them and eat them myself. It was difficult at first and I do not like killing them but it is the most ethical and logical thing to do. Their meat is delicious, so that is some compensation for the unpleasantness of processing them.
I know this is an old comment, but at what age do you butcher? And what do you feed as their diet staple
First Guinea Pig video I've seen with positive likes. I wonder if people being locked in their houses makes them realize how valuable of a resource Guinea pigs are!
Sure beats "rat burgers" from sewers in the movie Demolition Man.
Rat burgers 😂 hahahaha
I love guinea pigs and have kept them as pets. That being said, they were kept as livestock long before they were companion animals. Honestly, if you want to eat guinea pigs and ensure they're kept fed and happy beforehand, then more power to you.
Me: "i wanna adopt guinea pigs".
The internet/TH-cam algorithm: They make great meat!!!
Welp...time for a trip to Petco...
Bit expensive....check Craigslist and local ads or fb marketplace. They always have owners getting rid of them when some brat gets tired of em or the new wears off. I don't mean to sound cruel....it's just fact. Still too expensive to eat but you could take those and breed them and the cost make more sense.
I totally agree with the connection in breeding your own meat animals, the blood is on your own hands so to speak. I take great care and personal responsibility when killing my animals and appreciate a life was taken for our consumption.
Tried guinea pig when I was in Peru. Not a lot of meat on them, but it tasted just fine.
A man of culture
@@MorpGorpNorp Nice. Do you raise for food yet? :-)
She seems quite wise and caring overall
The adorable Guinea pigs are living a happy life, seem safe, seem unafraid, look content & well cared food and are living a natural life. 1000% more ethical & respectable than slaughter houses & how animals in CAFO farms are forced to live.
And to be fair rabbits and squirrels seem just as cute and sentient but poorer rural Americans hunt them as a cheap protein source. Every culture eats tiny cute animals
This is a great video. As a Peruvian, I feel happy when people accept that you can respect animals while also having them as food source. Always be thankful for the life that was lost for you to survive, for you are conscious about it. Hey, you should try Peruvian cuy (GP)! The way they cook it is simply delicious.
I have 4 Guinea pigs as pets, but whenever I visit my grandparents (they produce) we often eat GPs and it’s fine. I wouldn’t eat mine simply because of the work it takes and because I don’t produce. If I were to have my own farm and manage it, maybe then I would kill for my own food.
Keep going! Producing our own things really makes you more appreciative!
indigenous people from South America, specifically the Andean Kichwa from Ecuador, are experts in farming guinea pigs.
I don't eat meat, but this is even worse in a way, like eating a loving dog or cat :( Guinea pigs are one of the sweetest, kindest pets you could ever have. They snuggle on your lap for ages and wouldn't harm a fly and they have developed a unique language to talk with one another. Very, very sad to see food farming of these pets is still going on after such a long time.
Guinea pigs the cutest animals in our platter.
I believe cows are absolutely adorable. Much cuter than guinea pigs. Still taste good though😂
For God's sake don't let these get loose in Australia.
We have too many snakes for that to be an issue, trust me
Guinea Pigs die easily if they're out in the wild. They won't be a problem here. On the other hand, Hamsters are illegal in Australia because they breed easily and become pests.
guinea pigs are as domestic as a cow, they cannot survive without humans.
Australians eats Kangaroos and Emus
They’re mot like rabbits. Way more fragile, slower reproduction cycle, less babies. They wouldn’t be a problem.
2 facts about guinea pigs or cuys:
1.- Andean people have been breeding them and eating them FOR MANY CENTURIES
2.- Guinea pigs DIDN'T HAVE FUR OF DIFFERENT COLORS, neither funny hair styles, this happens to many
livestock species; once they are domesticated they start looking cuter for some reason lol, their ancestors previous domestication can still be found in the wild like around the most northern part of Perú.
Centuries? Don’t you mean millenniums?
@@arcturus4762plural of millennium is millennia* 😅
LOl you have no idea, the diferent colours and fur happens over time, friends of mine have a gunie pig farm in peru, alllll types cute to fat and huge chungas lol theres no specific moment they become domesticated. they are like rats mate,
@@arcturus4762 technically millennia are made of many centuries
Rats, pigs, cows, etc even chickens are relatively intelligent too and yet people in western cultures don’t even bat an eye yet they freak out when people in other countries eat cats, dogs, Guinea pig, insects, idk you name it anything that isn’t basic western food they loose their minds which is actually insulting entire cultures and they don’t realize it and only think their anger is showing how sensitive and empathetic they are which is totally not the case. If they didn’t get offended and showcased ‘oh yeah well how about we both respect that both cultures eats other animals while keeping different animals as pets too’ now that would be showing empathy etc.
Anyone that thinks I’m being psycho with that statement let me just say I have severe emotional empathetic tendencies so I’m insanely empathetic and sensitive towards all things that are alive that we evolved from (I mean seriously we share 70% of our dna with friggin bananas and came from humble beginnings as single celled organisms) heck I don’t even kill bugs or spiders that wander into my home I just throw them back outside every time. Doesn’t mean that I get offended at cultures that eat bugs nor do I get offended at people who get scared and kill them in their homes. It’s just a part of life we all are and we’ve literally all evolved to consume each other in a cycle of life that recycles with each other in a natural process, and our evolution of being omnivores that consume all types of plant matter and organic (meat) matter has been ingrained over millions of years even from before we were tiny squirrel like marsupials so get used to it cause it’s not gonna magically stop in the next few decades that we’re alive for with PETA protesting, it’s only going to intensify due to the huge population growth and lack of accessible ‘regular western food sources’ that’s going to happen in the near future.
Idk why I thought about promise neverland but I did
This is the future you can have so many recipes for them ☺
My bf prefers having rats and Guinea pigs as pets as opposed to dogs and cats like me. So I can say having lived with a few Guinea pigs even though they’re cute and cuddly, they lack the sentience of animals we typically see as food and vermin and seem to have no issue killing as a result. When you see how intelligent rats, mice, pigs, and cows can be it makes you wonder why we treat them as prey items more than we do companions like we do with stupid and borderline useless animals like Guinea pigs and hamsters
Ikr rats, pigs, cows, etc even chickens are relatively intelligent too and yet people in western cultures don’t even bat an eye yet they freak out when people in other countries eat cats, dogs, Guinea pig, insects, idk you name it anything that isn’t basic western food they loose their minds which is actually insulting entire cultures and they don’t realize it and only think their anger is showing how sensitive and empathetic they are which is totally not the case. If they didn’t get offended and showcased ‘oh yeah well how about we both respect that both cultures eats other animals while keeping different animals as pets too’ now that would be showing empathy etc.
Meat is meat.
That’s down right barbarically cultural for those countries…They don’t know better 😊
Considering how stupid humans are, any animal below human intelligence is already within culinary range. Your average “super intelligent” animal would lose to a toddler, so yeah.
@@soniapetersen8128That sounds like something someone privileged would say. There are people starving, and they do this to provide for their families and be self-sufficient. There is no reason to see them as lesser, and I think more should choose to grow their own food. This shouldn't be limited to people who have mega farms with hundreds of acres. It's good to know that people like these, who decided to grow their own food, will not be crying when bad times inevitably come.
This is food from Andes Mountains in South America, 😉 we have some traditional dishes from our ancestors.
All good!
Guinea pigs called CUY in Perú are delicious
As cute as they are...guinea pigs were bred as food originally. They're livestock animals like cows and chickens...
Thank you greatly Rees for your excellent commentary on every count.
Am starting a small breeding program with the very similar goals and hopefully can give the cavies as good of a life as you have done.
I will just keep mine as a pet….I respect you give these animals such good care.❤❤❤❤
The consumption of guinea pigs in Latin America is not common. That statement is not correct. It is an ancient source of protein in places like Peru, and especially in the Peruvian mountains, the Andes. In Peru, the animal is named cuy. The animal is not from New Guinea, and it is not a pig, more related to a rabbit, but with a better taste. Good interesting video.
It is common, in 90% of poor areas of latin america, so unless your an ignorant westerner or privileged south american whos entirely blind and arrogant, it is very well known meat, same as pigeon. People need to eat, if cuy is available people eat it. Just beacuse you never saw it on your holiday in a western bubble world inside south america doesnt make it truth.
I wonder how they taste like?
Aussie here. They Taste great. Like moist chicken, slight pork flavour. Butterfly with spices and put in a sandwich press. Very quick. Lots of salt on skin, get AMAZING crackling 👍
@@WaitWhat99 American here. I wanna try Guinea pigs myself, but no places near me are offering their meat. I was thinking about going to a petshop, and getting a few, and maybe gutting and skinning them alive myself, it would be my first time, but guinea pigs look like they taste really good. I'd make them get really fat before i cook it. Have some nice wine with it.
@@wesleythomas7705 my girlfriend is a peruvian who moved to the US and she advices against eating guinea pigs from pet stores since they are usually pumped with meds. Breed them by yourself so you can have med-free little critters, that might include a lot more work but it's also a lot better for you and whoever you're sharing your meal with.
Cuy guinea pig kind of taste like rabbit but the meat is much more tender.
Sorry, I don't know if I could eat them. I have had them as pets since a child. Would be like eating your pet dog or cat.
Apart from the Fork issue I find your Story quite fascinating ! Hmm ! I will have to try that ! Guinea Pigs and Quail ! Guinea Pigs cannot jump , so my eldest Niece just informed me tonight , hence I am looking for and found You ! About the Guinea Pigs but , also Quail , they cannot fly either so a low solid Tin Fence would be great for both Species ! I have only a small front Yard , maybe I can do something with that ? Growing Weeds like Thistles and Dandelion plus good Feed Grasses in a small patch might be a good idea ?
I’ve had so many pet guinea pigs that I could never eat one myself. And I know how hypocritical that is since I’m not a vegan.
I live in the US and they are thought of as only pets. Being that, they are not considered livestock/farm animals, making them more accessible food source in cities. Dont seem to need a lot of space or containment
First time trying it in Ecuador.
Part of why Guine Pigs didn't take off like Coffee and Chocolate as food is partially due to Christians, Jews and Muslims not being super keen on eating animals that "Chew the cud, but do not part the hoof."
Another part was that the way of eating meat in those days favored animals that could walk on their own two legs to the place where they would be slaughtered as you didn't have cars, which meant that Pigs, Goats and Sheep were excellent sources of meat for ships.
I’m sorry but no! I’ve had so many pet guinea pigs. They’re too cute to eat. I am aware that Peruvians have to eat them in order to survive, but I’m in the US so I’ll stick to beef.
They are not wild anymore either. They are completely domesticated like a dog, breaks my heart :/
Show the slaughter procedure
I read online that it’s the same as chickens where they slit the throat
Good on you
As long as you don’t see the meats being processed I guess it’s fine.
Why would you eat rodents?
And if you're going to eat rodents, why would you play with them first.
These people seem weird. I don't have a moral objection to what they're doing - but there's a reason rodents aren't a normal part of the food supply in developed countries.
They get petted not just eaten.
So that’s what snake from bad guys meant when these guys were tasty 😋
I wanna try them, they're look so delicious. 🤤🤤
"I can pick them up and kill them for dinner" got me laughing
LMFAOOO 💀💀💀💀💀💀
I’d try guinea pig
we should never hurt any other animal . You should be ashamed saying its productive .
They’re like a short eared rabbit. Not widely available in Latin America. I reckon they’re just common in Peru.
you can find them in Ecuador and Bolivia too, and the south of Colombia. That’s because of the shared indigenous history. Basically anywhere that was once the Inca Empire, you can find cuy!
I'd like to raise them for meat. looks yum too.
I feel like I’ve never seen anyone in America eat a geno pig
I respect it when they eat it but to say they don´t fear her picking them up is pure arrogance. Of course they don´t like being picked up.
They look delicious
So humble !!!
Great meat give it a try!
people of my own ❤
When you give them names they are pets if not they are food
I agree - all animals we eat are cute. I'll eat them G pigs. Sure
I can't eat guinea pigs. They are too cute.
Then, don’t just stick to cows pigs and chickens, who I’m sure are never cute at any point in their life! Have you seen a picture of a baby cow or a chick or a piglet? A lot of people would be judging you for what you eat
Guinea pigs are the future of meat! They are easy to farm and they are delicious 😋
nah its not a total replacement. i have a problem with preparing animals that have not a lot meat on them. the work to skin em and peal of the tiny bits of meat is a real bugger and nothin for the masses.
@@snakeplissken2148
You don't skin guinea pigs
You just shave the hair
The crispy skin is the most delicious part
From my personal experience
Eat them
Well spoken
When I tell people I plan on eating my guinea pigs they look at me like I'm a serial killer 🤷😆
Bad idea
I'm very interested! Just like a rabbit 🐰
I call my kids guinea pigs "meat potatoes". They're entirely useless as pets and do nothing besides eat. I'm getting hungry just thinking about them after this video
The meat looks like chicken, not gonna lie. Still, would love to try it. Gotta cross off more out of the gourmet bucket list.
I love the video!! God bless you all..
That's is so rude to Guinea pigs lovers
Sadly we can't farm guinea pig lovers, too expensive in upkeep.
Cows, pigs, goats, chickens, sheep etc are also very cute and billions of those are killed per year if you eat meat then Pass no judgment lol because I’m sure there’s cow lovers, pig lovers, goat, lovers, chicken, lovers, sheep lovers, etc. This may just be the most affordable thing that somebody can feed their family with, so it doesn’t really matter what you’re offended by😊
omg ive never seen such a vile act! how can you eat on the back of a fork 1:54
Do they ever notice when one goes missing?
I imagine they'd be like "Oh no, Daisy is missing! Well, looks like Lulu will be dinner instead tonight"
They are slaughtered in groups so they don't have time to notice 😂😂
They have gotta taste way better than mutton birds. Lol
never eaten guinea pig but my gramma farmed them
They do seem clueless. That's good lol.
My kids might get angry if I ate their pets.
The guinea pigs raised as pets are from breed different than meat ones
I understand this, but I can't pet something them kill it. I do hunt deer and rabbits.
I just think the meat ratio is bad commercial wise they are usually puffier than they look
Tbh this is best for homesteading community. Commercially farming guinea pigs for meat would not be sustainable unless there was a boom of interest. They don't take much in terms of resources or maintenance, but they do take time to grow out while still being a small animal. Tbh geese are a better planet-friendly animal to farm, as they take only about 16 weeks to grow, can be raised mostly on grasses and herbs minus first 2 weeks, are relatively easy to process and give a good size of carcass.
@@marekknieshtschav6391 I think it's more the amount of processing you have to do for the amount of meat you get at the end. The Feed Conversion Ratio isn't terrible (5.0), but it's nowhere near as a good as rabbit or chicken (3.0). Cuy would have the same processing problem that rabbit does but with a worse FCR.
I agree with you that they'd be good for homesteaders though. Menu fatigue can be a real problem, cuy adds variety. Also a good way to keep reptiles fed if you wanted to start up a reptile breeding operation.
Just watching you shove that Fork in your Mouth , upside down ? Rather a Stupid way to eat ? I had a Lady Friend once , a School Teacher , 10 Years my Senior , she tried to make me eat with the Fork upside down ! No bloody way ! Why NOT eat with a Spoon upside down I asked her ? Talk about Etiquette ! ,lol !
x70 piggy meat (300-400gr) = x1 sheep meat (20000-25000gr), x1 piggy cuteness = x1000 sheep cuteness so definitely not worth killing them piggies for just a few bites of meat
It’s a food staple in some countries
If you can eat lamb you can eat other animals
Methane
People eat each cuy as a whole thing , also meat consumption in the andes isn't like a Texas roadhouse restaurant , they deep fried em🍤
your numbers are way out.
Hello Manka, n all honesty, which is more logical, sure, raising sheep to feed a family is logical, but not for a single person, which raising guinea pigs would be more logical, would u agree or disagree?
Dont eat them😢
Then don’t eat cows, pigs, chicken, fish, duck, etc. You don’t get to draw the line at what animals are OK to eat and what animals aren’t.
People gotta eat
As a vegan this is unethical, but it's the LEAST unethical carnism philosophy I've ever seen...
I support this as long as it's organic free range + euthanized by noble gases, metal rods, without them smelling blood scent, or knowing their time has come. If the slaughter is with a tool, then do it from behind with their full trust without any tension...
Cervical dislocation. You just pick them up normally and break neck.
Yuck
how can you breed and treat them as pets then kill and eat them
Same as our free range meat rabbits. Have breeding stock of 4-5 that are like pets. Stay with you for years, get treated VERY very well. Better than poor animals used in industrial meat factories 😢
I know, they need to stop the free range stuff and just stick them into tight cages before they eat them.
How can you breed and treat pigs like they're unconscious lumps of meat and then eat pork.
@robert frederick don’t call other people savages just bc u don’t agree with their culture :/
At least know that they had a good life before they died it’s 100x better then the livestock industry
To cute to eat no way jose
❤
Guinea pigs are cute
It’s not really any different than chicken or rabbit meat
There's an ad on before this, so the ABC must be monetised, who gets that money.
TH-cam puts ads on channels nowadays. They changed their ToS a little while ago to reserve the right to advertise on channels regardless of what channel it is.
Nonnono, not for me.
Crazy how USA doesn’t adopt this I would feel like it would be cheaper
The feed conversion ratio (the amount of feed required to produce a pound of meat) is nearly double that of chicken and they take more work to process per animal. Good for homesteaders and reptile breeders but not as a commercial meat source.
And how is the killing process?
To be ethical I think it would have to be quick and easy not painfully for them
according to my girlfriend who's a native peruvian, the easiest and least harmful way to kill them is to break their neck in one move. they lose consciousness within seconds so it really is quick and easy.
@@markuslauenberg3137 That makes sense.
grab the head & twist it to the left & twist the torso right...if properly done you'll only hear a short wheek & then the dirty part begins
It's usually either breaking their neck, slitting their throat, or cutting the head clean off with a knife.
No no no no no you don't fake guinea pigs you keep them I have a guinea pig don't break in my house and kill it I don't like that because my guinea pig is the love of my life
Lol wtf. This is so ridiculous just because you keep something as a pet doesn’t mean it isn’t a cheap and affordable meat source for other people. I’m sure if we open your fridge we will find the meat from cows or pigs or chickens or fish or goats, etc. if you eat animals you have no right to tell someone which animal is OK to eat and which animal isn’t especially given that this is an affordable option so your POV is incredibly privileged/elitist.
@@MrsPilchwell, humans are animals
I thought Guinea Pigs were banned in Australia? Can you actually own one?
it makes me sad that people eat them but this is what the world is
I feel you ... and I own guinea pigs ... they mean a lot to me
No no please no why 🥺
This may be the most affordable way that somebody can feed their family. Why is this evil but cows pigs chickens, goats, sheep, fish etc. is perfectly okay to kill in the billions every year..
People gotta eat
NOOOOOOOOOOOOO THEY’RE SO CUTE
So are cows, pigs, chickens, etc. But billions of those are killed per year.
Guinea pigs meat tastes similar to chicken a little bit drier but the crispy skin is so yummy 🤤
From my personal experience
mmm 700 guinea pigs would weigh as much as a single full grown cow... i can understand in parts of the world where they cant grow any other cattle... but i think one life cut short rather then 700 peaceful or not deaths wins out on my conscience...
And that’s perfectly fine, but some people can’t really afford to purchase a cow let alone taking care of one. It’s fine for you to think of the moral implications, but this is a real affordable option for a lot of low income families.
U can't eat a cow in one meal & u don't need a freezer ect. One person fresh meal simple.
Can i ask how u kill them? it always worries me killing a animal is not quick enough. Interesting video
Probably like the same way one would kill a rabbit
grab the head & twist it to the left & twist the torso right...if properly done you'll only hear a short wheek & then the dirty part begins
There's a bunch of ways, but the most popular way is bending their head backwards til their neck breaks. The 2nd popular way is cutting their throat on top of bending their head backwards, or straight up decapitation.
I mean eat
Wait a minute don't eat
Okay so, for someone who owns guinea pigs this is terrible. You may think it is the same thing as eating chickens but the thing is they are PETS. At that point just go and eat your cat or dog. These animals are super loving and are really sweet. Some have their moments but they still deserve love and care. Then also when you think about it you raise your guineas to love you and trust you but then eat them for self pleasure.
They taste good especially the crispy skin
You know they where first domesticated as livestock right ? And it's convenient that you bought up the subject of chickens since just like guinea pigs they where first domesticated as livestock aswell, meanwhile people own chicken as pets in the same way, same goes for horses, cattle and suids (pigs).
You might also need to do a little research on the pre contact dogs of the native south americans, some where specifically bred to be more omnivorous and to serve as livestock.
If you own Guinea pigs as pets, the very least you can do is search up their history. If you did, then you'd know that Guinea pigs have been eaten for over 7,000 years and have only been pets for a few hundred.
You ever kept a pet chicken? Smarter, more resourceful and way less panicky around you than the tamest of guinea pigs. Guinea pigs deserve to be respected, but to say that this is different to a chicken is absolute buffoonery. Get real.
There are plenty of places that do eat cats and dogs and horses and many other animals we consider pets if you eat meat you don’t get to decide which animals are OK and which ones aren’t.