Dairy Farm Abuse

[Jollybear]

I dunno how it is in the U.S., but I have one beef with alot of the complaints here (careful, watch out for that pun)

People seem to be putting blame on the meat companies as a whole, when they, as far as I know, don't control what happens on the farm, they only buy cattle and sell meat. Farms are run privately, not by the meat company. Why blame the meat company?

I agree with your point, my point exactly. To put it a step further, why blame the meat eaters as well?

 

[Valjean]

Do animals in NZ live a full, natural lifespan, MG? Are they treated well throughout their lives? Would you be content to be used as a food animal or commodity by an extraterrestrial race of little green men, provided you were treated as NZ livestock are?

 

[methylatedghosts]

Do animals in NZ live a full, natural lifespan, MG? Are they treated well throughout their lives? Would you be content to be used as a food animal or commodity by an extraterrestrial race of little green men, provided you were treated as NZ livestock are?

If they're to be used as meat, no.

But that's not the point. My point was that people are blaming meat companies for things that happen on farms. It doesn't make a lick of sense.

If you want to stop abuse on farms, go to the farms.

Blaming the meat company is like blaming McDonalds for insecticides being used on lettuces while they're growing.

 

[Valjean]

As much abuse occurrs at the stockyard, the transport lorry and the slaughterhouse as on the farm.
I blame everyone involved.

 

[methylatedghosts]

As much abuse occurrs at the stockyard, the transport lorry and the slaughterhouse as on the farm.
I blame everyone involved.

I'm actually a little insulted that you'd lump every farm in the same category. My parents have been dairying for almost 25 years, and never would have thought to harm the animals. I have known many, many farmers who wouldn't dream of doing so. Why should they take the blame? A fair bit of money is put into the welfare of cows.

Have you ever even been on a farm and seen the day to day running of it?

It's a real shame that people stereotype all farmers like this after seeing a video of abuse on a few bad farms.

 

[Valjean]

I'm actually a little insulted that you'd lump every farm in the same category. My parents have been dairying for almost 25 years, and never would have thought to harm the animals. I have known many, many farmers who wouldn't dream of doing so. Why should they take the blame? A fair bit of money is put into the welfare of cows.

Have you ever even been on a farm and seen the day to day running of it?

It's a real shame that people stereotype all farmers like this after seeing a video of abuse on a few bad farms.

I apologise for any insult, MG. As I understand it, though, your dairy is a family business on the S. island of New Zealand and I suspect it is not typical of the factory farms that now dominate the market in many parts of the world.
Still, I'd ask if your cows, and their calves -- however well treated whilst in your care -- were allowed to live out their natural lifespans.

 

[methylatedghosts]

I apologise for any insult, MG. As I understand it, though, your dairy is a family business on the S. island of New Zealand and I suspect it is not typical of the factory farms that now dominate the market in many parts of the world.
Still, I'd ask if your cows, and their calves -- however well treated whilst in your care -- were allowed to live out their natural lifespans.

Letting them do that isn't viable at all, so no - having said that though, they are treated well at least until they leave the farm on a truck. From there, naturally, I have no idea, and no control on how they're treated on the way to the pet food place (Cats and dogs in cities and towns have got to eat too! ). However I'm confident that they're sold to a company that does treat them humanely. The trucking company is different altogether, they are contracted by the pet food company. I know we do the best we can to ensure the best treatment, but like I said alot of things are out of our control, just as alot of things are out of the control of the meat company we sell to - they have no idea how well or badly the stock were treated before they received them.

Oh yeah, we do set aside one beast a year or so for our own meat. And when needed, he'll be shot in the paddock by the butcher who will then take it away and butcher it for us. A much more pleasant way to die, btw, than being mauled by a pack of dogs in the wild .

 

[painted wolf]

Have I mentioned I like being a locovore as much as possible... I'm glad to know many local farm owners.

Seriously though... monsters who mistreat their animals should be locked away. Anyone that can brutalize another living thing is a risk to everyone around them.

wa:do

 

[Madhuri]

I dunno how it is in the U.S., but I have one beef with alot of the complaints here (careful, watch out for that pun)

People seem to be putting blame on the meat companies as a whole, when they, as far as I know, don't control what happens on the farm, they only buy cattle and sell meat. Farms are run privately, not by the meat company. Why blame the meat company?

The way that animals die in many slaughter houses is also very cruel. When your whole existence is for the single purpose of being killed for someone's meal, there isn't anything nice about it. When your parents, siblings and children are only bred for the purpose of being killed for food without chance of fight, there isn't anything nice about it. When you have to stand in line and wait for your execusion, knowing full well that those ahead of you are being killed mercilessly, there isn't anything nice about it.

I think it's great that there are farms where animals are treated well and allowed some sense of freedom (though let's face it, their not free). I also understand that nature is brutal, full of suffering and death. But still, there is nothing nice about it.