Sunday, August 21, 2005
Dairy Cattle Suffer Rough Handling, Short Life at CAFOs
A review of modern dairy practices by Farm Sanctuary concluded that the industry has moved toward more intensive production at the expense of animal welfare. Production is being consolidated in mega-dairies with hundreds or thousands of cows, while the total number of farms is half what it was in 1991. Milk production per cow is 66 percent higher than it was 30 years ago, and cows are sent to slaughter after only 3-4 lactation cycles, despite a potential 20-year lifespan. Most cows do not have access to pasture. Practices including tail cutting and rough handling, and conditions like lameness and mastitis (infected udder) are common
Union of Concerned Scientists
Posted by Bellona on 08/21 | Link to This Item