One must not put any food in one's mouth until the animals have been fed. Making sure our animals are fed before we put a morsel in our mouths is a sensitizing act that teaches the sanctity of, and respect for, all living creatures. It also reinforces the idea that the act of eating in Judaism is considered a sacred ritual, and not just a bodily need. Since we usually eat at least three times a day, we are constantly reminded of the ethical principle to treat animals kindly.
— Dov Peretz Elkins, The Wisdom of Judaism