Raymond WhitneyYou’ve probably heard that horses are slaughtered for the purpose of making glue. What are the facts? It sounds like a terrible joke, but what are the facts?
Let’s take a closer look at how and when horses become glue.
Is it true that horses are killed to make glue?
Horses are killed for the purpose of making glue. Collagen is a fundamental element in most animal-based glues, and horses have a lot of it.
It is transformed into gelatin, which is sticky when wet and firm when dry.
Why Are Horses Used For Glue? (Facts & Myths)
Horses have traditionally been sent to the glued fabric when they die. This is because of the presence of collagen in the horses, which is converted into gelatin.
When compared to artificially created glue, this sort of adhesive has a lot of advantages (which we will come back to).
Here are some of the most significant advantages of animal-based glue:
- Clean surfaces can be used to separate the surfaces once more.
- A new layer of glue can be applied on top of an existing one.
- By heating the adhesive, you can fix an uneven fit.
- It results in a rigid joint that does not flex over time.
As you can see, animal glue has a number of advantages that make it superior to glue derived from other sources in several ways.
These benefits are often not available when working with glue that isn’t derived from animals.
You’ve probably tried to glue two surfaces together just to discover how difficult it is to put them back together after they’ve been torn apart. This is due to the fact that other types of glue don’t work in the same way.
When the glue has set to the point that it is impossible to separate the two sections without ripping the glue.
Do we actively kill horses to make glue?
Some firms may slaughter a perfectly good horse in order to produce glue.
But, for the most part, we only use dead and sick animals to produce glue. So you don’t have to be concerned about your horse being caught and converted into the glue. This isn’t how it usually works.
It’s a great method to make use of all the wonderful elements that a dead animal contains after it’s no longer living. In this way, the animal is put to good use after it has outlived its usefulness.
This is also the reason for the ancient adage, “The horse has been taken to the bonded fabric.” This was a euphemism for the animal’s death.
Back in the day, this wasn’t something that was given much thought. The various components of the animals were employed for a variety of purposes.
We’d consume the flesh and attempt to come up with new methods to use the bones, teeth, hooves, and other things, and glue was one of the most inventive.
Which animals are used to produce glue?
The most common animals used for glue production are:
- Horses
- Fish
- Cattle
- Rabbits
When you consume chicken or any animal, you can even feel this on your fingers. Your fingers will occasionally stick together, and this sticky substance is partly collagen, which is utilized in animal glue.
For finer glue, we usually use the hooves of horses and cattle, but we also get a lot of glue from fish and rabbits. Fish glue has been utilized in glass, ceramics, wood, paper, leather, and metals for more than ten years.
Collagen is found in the skin and bones of the animal. “Collagen” comes from the Greek word “glue,” which means “glue.” These are proteins that can form bonds with a variety of materials to bind them together.
Are Horses Still Being Made Into Glue?
Today, we don’t need nearly as many animals to make glue. Animals are still utilized in the production of glue in various companies around the world.
In truth, dead animals are used for the production of sticky components in glue by various Canadian manufacturers.
This is due to the fact that animal glue has particular properties that are difficult to replicate artificially. These are the benefits we stated previously.
So, what is the modern-day application of horse glue?
- Antiques that need to be put back together
- Glass art
- Woodworking
- Assembling pipe organs
- Bookbinding
As you can see, these are quite specialized fields. Today, the great majority of glue is manufactured artificially. As a result, we don’t slaughter enormous numbers of animals to create glue.
For wooden surfaces, hoof glue is most commonly utilized. Horse and cattle hoofs are used to make this sort of adhesive. It has certain unique characteristics.
Two pieces of wood can be glued together without leaving any visible markings. This is especially useful for finer woodwork such as cabinetry and furnishings.
Horse glue is typically produced in France and other European countries. However, Canada has a number of manufacturers.
For many years, though, the man had no other option for manufacturing glue. As a result, if we wanted to glue two pieces of material together, we’d have to use collagen from deceased animals.
What else are dead horses used for?
In the United States, eating horse meat is actually prohibited. Dead horses are frequently sold to foreign countries to be eaten.
However, more frequently than not, the dead horses are taken to a zoo to be fed to the animals. The zoo’s predators require fresh meat, and this is an excellent way to get it.
Animal gelatin (for example, horse hooves) is also utilized in Jell-O and gummy bears. That’s why they’re so squishy and gooey.
The bones and muscles of dead animals are used to make the gummy bears. So remember that in mind the next time you pop a gummy bear into your mouth. Yummy!
Alternative Ways To Make Glue (without using horses)
As previously stated, we no longer employ animals to create glue to the same level as we did previously. We’ve discovered far more efficient artificial glue production methods.
Typically, today’s factories will make “polyvinyl acetate” glue (also known as PVA). It’s a powerful, long-lasting glue that may be used on a variety of surfaces.
This sort of glue is both less expensive to make and easier to deal with. It can be stored at a variety of temperatures and will not solidify until it is removed from the bottle. This was due to an issue with the animal glue.
It would harden at specified temperatures, which was helpful for separating the two halves. It wasn’t perfect, though, when the two pieces needed to stay connected.
Is Elmer’s glue made from horses?
Horses are no longer used to make Elmer’s glue. It was once made of horses, but now it is composed of synthetic materials. The exact component combination is kept a secret, however, they have declared that they no longer use animal collagen.
So, if they’re utilizing horses, why is there a cow on Elmer’s glue?
Elsie the cow, the company mascot, is depicted on the glue bottles from Elmer’s glue factory. It’s only a representation of how to glue was created in the past.
Others claim that the laughing cow on Elmer’s glue bottles represents joyful creatures who were given a chance to live. The cattle may now continue to smile since they have discovered new and better ways to produce glue more effectively.
