Peace - I've not been *in* an abatoire, but I have watched quite a few films of animals being processed and slaughtered in them. I must say, it doesn't tend to disturb me that badly. I do accept it as part and parcel of the industry. Though the mass production element, can generate greater disregard for welfare.

A friend of mine used to rear goats and regularly had them slaughtered at a small family run business. I think that the meat industry at all ends of the process, is best in the hands of small businesses of similar kind. Yes, no doubt the animal will get stressed, but at least with a small firm with a local reputation to uphold, the likelihood of abuses, will (IMO) be greatly diminished.