And apparently excess heat at the dairy cannot only kill "things" but also reduce profits... Now here's something I know the farmers will pay close attention to. It seems that cows will become less productive at temperatures exceeding 68 degrees... So it's recommended to cool "high-producing cows at a lower temperature." I find this extremely disturbing though, in record-breaking summer heat I know in my house and many others, we try to minimize the use of energy... As it's not only wasteful but expensive. Let's see, humans opt to live in 78 degrees and cows are kept in 68. Perhaps that's because the dairy industry makes so much money???
Whoa there! Now if that was the case - Why is it that budget strapped Wisconsin, that is now cutting back salaries and employment to teachers is also granting the dairy industries "Tax Credit Extensions"? Hum... They don't seem to have their priorities in order at all!
Okay... Let's take a break from the serious fatalities, global climate threats and political corruption for just a moment.
Take a look at the logo for National Dairy Producers Organization. You know... Even Hugh Hefner had the decency to opt for less-offensive "bunny ears" as the "playmate" symbol. But I tell you these teat pulling cow-hands just have no shame!
I know they try hard... They really do! Mega-giant Dairygold explains all about their Corporate Social Responsibility. With 60 pages of stats, graphs and economic figures- there's 2 whole paragraphs dedicated to the very important issue of animal "welfare". Gosh sakes! Could they spare the ink???
Perhaps they are depending on world of mouth via YouTube to explain how it's so very important to remove the calves from their mothers immediately... All for the calves "welfare". For the calves "safety" they are taken from their mothers. For their "safety" they are fed milk "replacements." For their "safety" they are tethered so they cannot interact with other calves. Seems they forget very quickly about their "safety" when it's time to process their tiny bodies into veal. It's just nasty deceit, isn't it?
Finally, speaking of videos of cows - And humans speaking for the cows... The World Society for the Protection of Animals is launching a campaign "Not in my Cuppa" that intends to keep cows out of factory farms and on the fields. It would be a much more worthy campaign if the message was to leave the cow's (milk) alone altogether.
I could go on and on about how "Molly" would still be heartbroken having her babies stolen from her. How even in the field, she'd be "retired" after a fraction of her life. And how 3 of the 4 calves she'd give birth to wouldn't live much longer than a few months. I could tell you - But I think Shelley Williams speaks much better on the cow's behalf:
Go Diary Free and you can wash your hands from the whole ugly business of "cow's milk." :)
7 comments:
You know, if these assholes (I use the term advisedly and as one of an expression of disgust) that make money off of the abuse, torture and killing of cow people (I am referring to anyone involved in the "dairy industry") were more honest...they would dye their "product" red so it would more closely resemble the actual life's blood it is.
Two whole paragraphs out of 60 pages... And human people think cow people produce a lot of shit?
Shelly Williams is an Earthling we can all be proud of.
Bea and veganelder, you are both eloquent in your passion for justice. Your good hearts are filled with wisdom.
Thought you might like to read the email I sent to WSPA just now:
Dear World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA),
Your "not in my cuppa" campaign (http://notinmycuppa.com) is such a disappointment, because it's so incredibly deceitful.
It pretends that by removing cows from factory farms and putting them back on the land, something good is being accomplisihed.
A live cow would never agree with your slick promotion of her milk, no matter where she is raised -- behind bars or in an idyllic pasture.
As a mother, she wants to keep her baby at her side, and she wants her milk to be drunk by her baby, not stolen by a supposedly superior species.
As an intelligent, aware individual, she doesn't want to be manipulated by humans -- forcibly impregnanted (a.k.a. raped), sucked on by anything (except her baby's soft mouth), watch her children torn from her side (to be raised for veal or to become another milk machine), and ultimately trucked off and slaughtered mercilessly.
You know all these truths. Yet you choose to gloss them over. That is dishonest. Dishonesty is a horrible disease to be passing along to children. It is highly contagious.
You would be honest, and worthy of commendation, if your balladeers sang about replacing cow's milk with almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, rice milk, cashew milk, hemp milk, hazelnut milk and whatever other nut or grain I may be missing on this long list of existing, cruelty-free milk products. By doing so, you'd be helping boost the non-dairy milk industry, which would in turn create new jobs for many folks looking for such clean, honest work.
Your promo perpetuates still other myths.
One myth is that cows' milk is necessary for human health and strength (which, as you know, is bull).
Another myth is that there is a plethora of available land for grazing cows. In fact, whatever open fields exist could be much more efficiently used to grow crops that feed humans directly. Moreover, available land can be turned well fertilized with what non-manure "cover crops" (see www.veganorganic.net and www.stockfreeorganic.net).
A third myth is that the impact of traditional dairy farms on our fragile environment is minimal to nil. Nothing could be further from the truth. All forms of raising livestock pollute the land, air, and water, as the reputable World Watch magazine indicated in its study of livestock's effect on greenhouse gases (www.worldwatch.org/files/pdf/Livestock_and_Climate_Change.pdf).
Perhaps the most unseemly part of your ploy is that it allows viewers to continue believing the myth that the relationship between humans and other-than-humans should be one of oppression, in which a subservient animal is exploited at her expense (and her babies' expense) for the profit and pleasure of humans. This master-slave relationship cannot stand the justice test, the compassion test, or the test of time. From one era to the next, humans are meant to make progress, not revert backwards to an idealized past that we are ready to move beyond.
Molly and her kind need to be not bred in the first place, along with all other domesticated animals. That is only way to cease seeing and treating sentient creatures as commodities.
Humanity needs to moooove beyond the herding business -- beyond its oppression, deceit, hypocrisy, cruelty and injustice. The sooner the better. That is the moral message you should be advancing.
As an animal protection society, you surely desire to live up to the ideals embodied in your name. You can do so by pulling your deceptive propaganda and replacing it with an honest campaign that dignifies, uplifts, protects, liberates, and truly helps man, animal, and earth.
Respectfully yours,
SBH Clay
Editor, www.CreatureQuotes.com
Wow, Bea. WOW. As soon as I get over my writer's block, I'll be responding to this post on my blog...UGH! The monstrous LIES this industry tells....And I love how the Republican'ts are all in a tizzy over NPR funding, meanwhile we're spending billions on subsidizing hamburgers and chicken nuggets. We are one seriously sick nation.
Something occurred to me while I was reading this. I wonder how many of those fires are truly accidents and how many are for insurance claims. But the main thing I was thinking while I was reading is that I appreciate your voice and could not agree with you more. And how heartbreaking it is to know that these awful things happen on such an enormous scale day after day after day..... :(
Hi veganelder... Red dye #40 coming right up!
Yep, glad I had on my high-water boots when I read that report. But it's always the same with everything the spews from the animal ag folks.
Shelley? YES! An absolute model of rationality. :)
Hi Jo! If I know you, and if you're like me... It's not so much "writer's block" so much as it is SO MUCH to say! I mean this violence and exploitation and corruption is the most universally serious issue - Yet I'm guaranteed if I turn on the t.v. at any given moment they'll be selling me more of exactly what ails me! Sign me equally "infuriated!"... :(
Oh Krissa! What a suspicious but keenly skeptical mind you have! I've had my hunches too... I'm sure we're not alone. Hey, when all the smoke settles, so do fat insurance checks... I dunno are people who raise animals just to send them off to get their throats slit, "above" these questions? Obviously not - Thanks for bringing them to the surface. ;)
Ugh, it's so depressing, isn't it?
Hi SITOGV --- I don't mean for things to be depressing! In fact, I might make up for being so, by sharing some good news with you...
Three+ years ago I joined a forum. On it is a thread where members post "vegan sitings". And I used to up till a year or so ago... Well --- Now if I were to try to keep up with all the stories I have about meeting total strangers and having them tell me they've either gone "vegetarian"... Or are working their way to there... OR better still --- That they *are* vegan already, I'd be spending many hours just recalling those conversations! Lately it seems everyone I meet has a grandchild, daughter, son, wife or brother that is "veg" minded! :)
I live in "no-where" Florida... If I can see the difference in the last few years, I'm certain the momentum is everywhere!
I agree it's depressing because it's a monster of an issue to address... So many structures and systems that cause harm to animals must be shattered! But I think we're in a better position to do so now, then ever before! We just have to keep living the way we know is right. And engaging people whenever we can!
If truth and reason are really the only power that is genuine (which I think they are) - We're bound to break to the other side... Long haul I know, but I can't think of a single thing that is more worth our effort. I truly believe if we can mend this last obstacle of speciesism - All our other flaws will also find a way to heal!
Don't be depressed SITOGV - We're all part of a movement that is right and real and worthy!
Press on! ;)
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