As a dairy farmer, I fully support everyone having the right to choose what they do (or do not) eat. If someone makes the choice to not consume dairy products, that is their right. But I wholeheartedly believe that it is my right to own/operate a dairy farm, provided quality dairy products to others and consume dairy products.
It’s videos like this (Menzies visits PETA protesters) that makes you want to bang your head against a wall. People are fighting to end the dairy industry and they do not even have answers to simple questions. Where will the animals go? How will they survive? Who will take care of them? These people are PETA protesters, protesting against the dairy industry and they have no idea what they want or what they are even doing.
Every day regardless of how we feel, what the weather is like or if we are tired; we still get up and take care of our girls. Cows have to be milked at least twice a day, they have to be fed, the barn has to be cleaned out, the calves need fed twice a day, and all animals are constantly being given new bedding. Cows sometimes need assistance during birth. New calves need cared for. Sometimes animals get sick and need immediate and constant attention. This is a 24/7 way of life.
Our girls are domesticated animals. They rely solely on us to take care of them. They rely on us to feed them, provide them with fresh water, milk them twice a day, assist with complicated births and try to fix them when they get sick. Many people believe that these animals should be released into their “natural” habitat. But I want to know what is their natural habitat? AND how we could do that without them becoming extinct.
I believe the summer would be their best chance for survival. They could graze on the few pastures we have in our area and drink from the streams. Our farm is located in the mountains, so they would have to travel from pasture to pasture. There are plenty of streams, creeks and ponds. However, in the state of Washington, dairy cattle are NOT allowed to drink out of streams, creeks or ponds. They have to be fenced out of these areas and farmers are required to provide them water. So if these animals were out on their own, would they have to follow the same guidelines?
What about predators? We have wolves, cougars and coyotes in our area. We have ranchers in our area that have lost cattle to wolves and just recently a shepherd lost over a dozen sheep. There are incidents all over our county of farmers/ranchers losing animals. A domesticated dairy cow wouldn’t be that hard to take down. I am not sure about you but I do not want to have my girls ripped apart by a pack of wolves. Maybe that is just me?
Right now we use bulls to breed our cows. The instant a cow is in heat that bull is taking care of business, this would still happen in “the wild”. Cows would still have babies just as often as they do on farms. So what happens when a cow has a complicated birth? Does she die, does the baby die or do they both die? If they both survive is there a good chance a predator will kill the baby? Honestly, I want to know the answer to these questions! Because you see on the farm we can help. We can help with the complicated birth. We can provide shelter from predators. We can tend to the needs of both mother and calf.
So let’s say that they survived the summer time. They found enough food, the government agencies didn’t fine them for the potential to pollute and the wild animals didn’t tear them to shreds. How will they survive the winter? With no pastures, frozen ponds and no farmer to feed them. How will they make it? I don’t think they would. Click here to read more about prehistoric dairy farming.
As a dairy farmer, every drop of milk counts. A happy cow is your objective. Clean beds, clean barns, quality feed, fresh water, etc. An unhappy or unhealthy cow doesn’t do very well. Our girls have to pay for their own feed, the feed of the young stock and put the roof over my family’s head. They do so by the milk they produce. We devote our lives to them and they do the same for us.
If we opened up the gates to the barn right now a few would wonder out, some would continue eating at the feed bunk, others would continue sleeping in their comfy stall and others would still be standing at the water trough. Some would run, kick and buck as they ran out of the barn. But when the wind started, the rain, the snow or the temperature started to dip down, they would head back to their comfy stalls. If the tractor started, they would assume feeding time and head to the barn. When it was time to milk they would be lined up at the milking parlor. When they were having complications giving birth they would still look to us to help them. Why? Because they are domesticated. They rely on us for their survival. They are big giant pets that just so happen have to pay rent and their rent is paid in milk. They have a good life.
Am I saying that animal abuse doesn’t happen? No, I have seen the same videos that you have. Do I agree with how everyone operates? NO, but that is like saying that just because a few parents abuse their children that every parent is a child abuser. It is like saying that just because I do not agree with other peoples ideas on parenting that it is wrong.
On a final note, I would like to know which “farms” or “animal sanctuaries” would take in all these domesticated animals and be able to afford it. Further more I would like to know why anyone in their right mind would think that one industry (let’s say almond & soy milk people) would cover the feed bill on all these dairy animals. If they do in fact care enough to do so then I will gladly send them my feed bills. With the decline of milk consumption and increase in nut juice consumption, I am sure those industries could afford to pay for the feed of my dairy cows. Or could they?
My cows are domesticated animals, they do not belong in the “wild”.
Krista Stauffer
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I’m just not sure they are far enough on top of the food chain in my area.