I would like to shed a light on something. We should have animal rights to avoid animal cruelty but also to help preserve species, but we should not do it at the expense of our own well being.
First off, when i was born till I was 15, I lived in the country. My neighbors raised cows that were MEANT to be killed and eaten. I think if an animal's raised to die, it shouldn't be as big of a deal. I somehow doubt the people in slaughterhouses sit in circles thinking of the most diabolical ways to kill the animals. But please, remember once again, that these animals were raised for our human consumption.
I lived in Asia for about 3 years and while I was there, my family and I went to something called a wet market. This was a place where a person could literally buy a fresh fish. What was the best way for the man to kill the fish for you? He would take a stick and bash the fish in the head till it stopped moving, then he would chop it's head off. I think that's cruel. Why beat it in the head so much, if you're going to chop off it's head?