Hare krishna!
More than 9.3 million cows were used to produce milk in the United States in 2008, and more than 2.5 million dairy cows were slaughtered for meat. Cows used by the dairy industry are intensively confined, continually impregnated, and bred for high milk production with little concern for their well-being. Far from being the “happy cows” the industry makes them out to be, these typically playful, nurturing animals endure immense suffering on factory farms.
- Like all mammals, dairy cows must be impregnated in order to produce milk. Cows in the dairy industry spend their lives in a constant cycle of impregnation, birth, and milking with just a few short months of rest between pregnancies.
- Nearly all cows used for dairy in the U.S. are eventually slaughtered for human consumption. At an average of less than 5 years of age, exhausted cows are considered “spent” and sent to slaughter, and millions of them are eaten by Americans as hamburger. In a natural setting, a cow can live more than 20 years.
- Usually just within hours of birth, calves are taken away from their mothers. Calves can become so distressed from separation that they become sick, lose weight from not eating, and cry so much that their throats become raw.
- Because male calves will not grow up to produce milk, they are considered of little value to the dairy farmer and are sold for meat. Millions of these calves are taken away to be raised for beef. Hundreds of thousands of other male calves born into the dairy industry are raised for veal. Many people consider veal to be cruel, but they don’t realize that veal production is a product of the dairy industry.
- In the vast majority of dairy operations in the U.S., cows spend their lives indoors, typically on hard, abrasive concrete floors, frequently connected to a milking apparatus.
- In 2007, the average cow in the dairy industry was forced to produce more than 20,000 lbs. of milk in one year — more than double the milk produced 40 years before. Breeding cows for this unnaturally high level of milk production, combined with damage caused to the udders by milking machines, contributes to high levels of mastitis, a very common and very painful swelling of glands of the udder.
- In the name of increased milk production and profit, some dairy cows are repeatedly injected with bovine growth hormone, a genetically-engineered hormone that has been shown to increase the risk of health problems like mastitis and lameness.
- Arguing that it improves hygiene, dairy producers cut off cows’ tails, called “tail docking,” either by placing a tight rubber ring around the tail until it falls off or by cutting it off with a sharp instrument. Each method causes chronic pain. Cows use their tail to swish away flies and can suffer immensely during fly season.
- Investigations have found that cows who collapse because they are too sick or injured to walk or stand, known as “downers” by the industry, are routinely prodded, dragged, and pushed around slaughter facilities.
Cows Used for Meat
In 2010, 34.2 million cattle were slaughtered for beef in the United States. Often beginning their short lives on rangeland, calves are soon separated from their nurturing mothers and endure a series of painful mutilations. Before they are a year old, young calves endure a long and stressful journey to a feedlot, where they are fattened on an unnatural diet until they reach “market weight” and are sent to slaughter.
- After being taken from their mother, calves’ cries can be so intense that their throats become irritated.
- Calves raised for beef may be subject to a number of painful mutilations, including dehorning, castration, and branding. Even though each of these procedures is known to cause fear and pain, pain relief is rarely provided.
- Because it is thought to improve meat quality and tenderness, male calves are castrated at a young age. Methods include removing testicles surgically with a scalpel, crushing spermatic cords with a clamp, and constricting blood flow to the scrotum until testicles die and fall off. Each method is known to cause pain that can last for days.
- Cattle in the U.S. are often branded by having an iron hotter than 950 °F pressed into their skin for several seconds. This is done so that beef producers can identify cattle and claim ownership.
- Between 6 months and a year of age, cattle are moved from pasture to feedlots to be fattened for slaughter. Calves gain weight on an unnatural diet and reach “market weight” of 1,200 pounds in just 6 months.
- The majority of cattle are fattened in feedlots in just four U.S. states. Since calves are born all over the country, they often endure long and stressful trips from their place of birth to these states without food, water, or protection from the elements.
- Once they reach “market weight,” cattle in the beef industry are trucked to slaughter. The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act requires that livestock be rendered insensible to pain before shackling and slaughter; however, investigations have found that some animals are still conscious when they are shackled and have their throats cut.
http://www.farmsanctuary.org/learn/factory-farming/dairy/
Are we also drinking milk from tortured cows? this is worse than death!
should we drink milk then, or offer it to krishna?
Replies
Cow Protection Tukarama Das
This gives a lot of clarity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR95pFCnQbI&feature=youtu.be
Hare Krishna.
As far as possible, we must try to get pure milk and it's products from trustable source as mention by Maral Mataji. If cow milk is not available then cow milk powder could be use from Pathmeda Goshala but never support any kind of above mention dairy by buying any of their products. If we buy products from such dairy farming where mother cow are tortured then indirectly you are supporting same sinful activities. Beside this, how Lord could be pleased by blooded milk? which even a human like us never wish to drink, such a milk where she has been treated worse than death!
One more thing, animals in above picture are not a desi cow! They are only ANIMAL. All desi breed cows have humps which you never find in Jersey or HF which are genetically modified animals to products white water and meat only. If you drink A1 type milk of Jersey (in above picture, without hump) will lead you to some chronic diseases like joint pain, diabetes etc.
Read more:
Health benefits of 'desi' cow products underscored
NUTRITIOUS A2 MILK OF VEDIC COWS WITH HUMP VERSUS TOXIC A1 MILK OF ...
Hare Krishna dear devotees. We take the milk from the cows and offer it to Krishna.
In this way the cow and us are benefitted by giving their milk for the service of Krishna.
These cows that are treated so cruelly can get benefit in this way so why stop offering their milk, cream, butter and ghee?
We protect the cows as best we can.
By buying milk and offering to Krishna there is no sin and by taking the prasadam of the Lord we are purified.
Even if you are a vegan you eat only sin as stated in Bhagavad Gita.
The devotees of the Lord are released from all kinds of sins because they eat food which is offered first for sacrifice. Others, who prepare food for personal sense enjoyment, verily eat only sin. BG 3.13
I've read this from various sources, that the cow is benefitted. Do you know where in the sastra it mentions this?
I would like the idea if they are benefitted.
Thank you.
Please find out Pathmeda milk.
+918879666307
This is the number of a Devotee who distributes Pathmeda milk in Mumbai.
Your servant,
Hare Krishna.
What is mention above is happening everywhere, even in India.
Main cause for cow slaughter is Dairy Farming. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, "krsi-vanijya -go-raksha". Commerce based on Farming and cow must be protected but we have made go-vanijya-krsi-nashta means commerce based on cow milk and destroy farming by using DAP and Urea + all kind of poisonous pesticides and fertilizers.
So, until farmer grow grains, beans, vegetables and fruits based on cow urine and cow dung none of us can protect cow from getting sluter. We eat grains and beans etc but cow feed all west from farming and gives milk. From organic grain and beans you can make thousands but we are doing Dairy Farming and result is what you see in above pictures.
No hope for us, until and unless we come back to our vedic traditions and what Krishna instructed in Gita.
Hare Krishna.