Why don't humans use animals after they die naturally?

Question

Humans use animals for eating, clothes, fashion, etc., all of which is obviously wrong.

Why don't they eat them after they die naturally of old age? Why don't they use their fur, or skin after they die of naturally?

Thank You.

Answer 1

I won't talk about "product quality" since it will probably highly vary from one place to another.

That being said, price is probably a leading factor.

Most animals that are bred for leather, meat, etc... live far shorter than their natural lifespan. The cost of feeding and caring for the animal over time is factored into the cost of animal products. As soon as the maximum profit can be made from the profits of slaughter, the animal is killed.

EDIT to come : few numbers once I got the time to find international sources.

Answer 2

The meat is less tasty. Notice how carnivore humans not only eat animals; they eat child animals. Lamb, veal, etc. The same is probably true for the quality of fur or leather. However, down can be produced entirely by harvesting naturally lost feathers

And, of course, it's much cheaper to feed an animal for one year than for five years.

Answer 3

Humans do use animals that died of natural causes. This still occurs in many cultures and there is plenty of anthropological, archaeological, and molecular evidence that we were scavengers as well and hunter-gatherers during our evolutionary and even recent history. Many indigenous people still live off the land all over the world and often a key component of their values and beliefs is the inherent value of lives including animals. There are many cultural practices in which as many parts of the animal is used to reduce waste.

The main reason that this no longer occurs widely would likely be yield. As the population has soared, there’s been an increasing need to industrialise. This has especially been important with plant products and food crops with the need to provide food such as staple crops to feed a growing population. It also occurs with animals. We simply cannot find enough plant or animal products by scavenging (or even hunting) to meet the demand of our society.

The main reason that we have selectively bred domesticated crops and animals is to meet this demand. Many domesticated species are still used in favour or higher quality or more desirable varieties (in other traits) because the exisiting farmed varieties have been bred for centuries to provide higher yields. This is why particular strains are farmed while others are not and are still less desirable when the die of natural causes, even if the quality isn’t compromised (in the case tough meat in old age or roadkill).

This most notably occurs in plant survives such as the larger seeds in wheat, corn, and fruits. These produce larger food crops which are more durable during transport or storage. It also occurs in livestock where domesticated species produce far higher yields of wool and milk or grow faster, have higher fecundity (twins or larger litters), and grow more flesh for meat yields.

There’s also the “cringe” factor. Many people would not use their deceased pets to make food or clothing for example. Similarly, people in industrialised societies (with better options) would usually not consume roadkill unless in extreme poverty or starvation.

Answer 4

A farmer that would use these practices could not compete economically with a farmer that used current practices. Other farmers would be able to sell their product so much cheaper that your hypothetical kind farmer would starve to death. There is a financial incentive for cruelty.

Answer 5

Your question is quite badly formulated, because it includes an answer which just happens to not be true in all cases. Also, you do not tell us your definition of "naturally". A falling boulder is natural, a disease is natural, a thunderbolt is natural, as well as old age...

To prove it, I will give you some examples. From these, you can extrapolate.

1. A taxidermist cannot care less how the animal died, as long as it still is workable condition.
2. I am sure that a farmer will not hesitate to collect the wool (or maybe the entire skin) of a dead sheep - even if it died naturally.
3. If it is known that the animal did not die of sickness or poisoning, the animal might become food for other animals. Dead goldfish can easily become a tasty snack for a cat. The human this used the dead goldfish as food - just not as food for humans.
4. If the natural death is caused by sickness or poisoning, whoever and whatever eats eat might suffer terrible consequences.
5. If the moment of death is not known, the meat might already be decomposing, and therefore toxic - again, not suitable to be eaten, except by necrophages.