Comments on: VIVA The Kangaroo

By: Tim Quilty

Tim Quilty — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 12:06:24 +0000

Why are there more Kangaroos now then before white colonisiation? Because there is vastly more open land (as opposed to forest) with vastly more grass (grown with non-naturally occuring phosphorus fertilizers) and also vastly more permanant water supplies. These prevent mass deaths from starvation and thirst, as would have been natural.

Yes, we have no accurate count from before white settlement, so the point can’t be proven beyond doubt one way or another, but I’ve yet to hear an even half convinving argument for why there should be less kangaroos now then before colonisation. Lots of native animals have done poorly, the roos did very well.

And as others have said, there would be no issue with domesticating and farming them if it was profitable to do so, and the main barrier to that is the Government.

(As an aside, they are poor feed efficiency converters, but have a huge range of diet – they can eat bloody anything.)

By: DavidLeyonhjelm

DavidLeyonhjelm — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 01:27:49 +0000

There are regulatory barriers affecting ownership, transport, slaughter, processing and selling.

It’s a bit like what the crocodile farming industry faced, except crocodiles are ugly and nasty. This is about Skippy.

By: Justin

Justin — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 12:25:00 +0000

What is the main regulatory barrier? Is it illegal to own them?

By: DavidLeyonhjelm

DavidLeyonhjelm — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 10:01:07 +0000

Just a small point, but kangaroos are actually subject to very few parasites. They don’t need controlling very often and control methods are not a problem in any case.

I won an essay competition during my veterinary degree writing about the farming of kangaroos. The essay was a bit naive on economic grounds, especially as I didn’t take into account capital costs (ie fencing), but otherwise its conclusions were valid – kangaroo farming would be quite viable.

The main barrier is regulatory.

By: Justin Jefferson

Justin Jefferson — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 04:01:51 +0000

‘How do you worm and dip them for paprsites because they have plenty of those, no doubt you have ingested a few in your time…good luck with your health.’

This is not correct. Kangaroo meat is ‘harvested’ from the field and sold for human consumption with minimal concerns about health. The reason (as I understand it) is because, whatever parasites they may have, the great evolutionary distance between them and humans makes it relatively safe for human consumption compared say, with pigs etc.

There is no need for you to worry about how kangaroos will be farmed. Entrepreneurs will figure it out whenever the wankers such as Paul McCartney are willing to pay for the values they want to bullyrag and force other people into paying for against their will. He’s got loads of money: why doesn’t he *pay* for those kangaroos to be looked after?

The issue is not really about kangaroos, since the animal liberationists can have all the kangaroos they want if they’ll pay for it. The real underlying issue is whether the people in favour of kangaroos should pay for their own values themselves, and voluntarily pay for the costs of keeping the kangaroos, or whether they should be able to use government to force other people to pay for their values.

*I’ll* keep the fucking things, at whatever standard of fencing is required. Just pay me more than I can now get for keeping sheep and cattle.

Hello? Sir Paul? Fionix? When can I expect your cheque?

Nasty violent wankers.

By: pommygranate

pommygranate — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:11:17 +0000

fionix

what’s your point?

By: fionix

fionix — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:20:42 +0000

And Tim R, you are the same as Mark, think about it, how do you actually farm a kangaroo?? How do you herd it, how do you divide them properly for breeding so you know which ones you would kill?? How do you worm and dip them for paprsites because they have plenty of those, no doubt you have ingested a few in your time…good luck with your health. Kangaroo farming has already been viewed as fairly impossible for these reasons. Plentiful and extremely dumb?…take a lok in the mirror

By: fionix

fionix — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 03:14:03 +0000

Mark Hill, you really are gullible, you say there are more kangaroos now than before white settlement, how do you know this???? Did they have planes doing arial counts back then?? I think not, therefore dont make comments that do not make sense. Perhaps try thinking for yourself instead of taking the standard lies generated by people who want to profit from a kangaroo industry. If you all believe the myth like you do, then it makes it OK to kill them.
Please make sure you really know your facts before you speak.

By: Brendan Halfweeg

Brendan Halfweeg — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 10:14:30 +0000

It is silly that it is illegal for landowners to use kangaroo commercially. Are they able to sell hunting rights to their own land to commercial cullers?

Emus are already farmed for their leather.

Apparently emu and kangaroo prosciutto and jerky are quite good.

By: John Humphreys

John Humphreys — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 07:26:21 +0000

I agree that it’s silly… though I have absolutely no problem with anybody on earth having an opinion on anything. If McCartney wants to talk about kangaroos, then what is important is the quality of his contribution, not the colour of his passport.

DavidL’s point is a good one. Except that kangaroos taste better than whale.