Hi Dreamtimer. When I first had some halal meat it was the only thing to compare to that which we had growing up. The cut with halal also leaves one artery intact which allows the heart to pump all of the blood out very quickly.
We used to have land, just 7 acres, and on some of it, grazed cattle. 4 maximum. 2 young 2 old. They never had names, we fed them and looked after them. An old fellow my folks knew would come and take the shot when the time came. He would quite happily drive home 25km having not taken the shot, if the time was wrong. He could tell if it had been running about or spooked. One time he was all lined up and it turned and looked at him and snorted at him so he put the gun away and went home. A big gun too, and the shot was to a small target at a certain place.
Anyway, being involved in the process in that way, there's a respect, even a prayer of sorts as you wait to hear the shot.
When the animal was so relaxed, even with a mouthful of grass still, and then instantly bled out, the meat is "different". I fully understand how the release of chemicals into the body under stress changes all other meat. I see it as a defense mechanism or a cursing.