(01-04-2016, 03:31 AM)Tobi Wrote: What is the matter with those people?
In a word, greed. Farmers can make more money by using the ground intensively (which depletes the ground of the rarer minerals, which traditional NPK fertilisers do not replace - another sad story). They then keep the animals in barns and feed them with their own crops, hay and bought-in commercial feed. This makes them more money, perhaps - but at what cost to the poor animals and to the soil!
The other reason is that they save time: no more letting out in the fields morning and evening, and gathering back for milking. The poor cows are just "sitting ducks", trapped ready for milking at convenient times for the farmer. No need for farm dogs; no herding necessary. Efficient? Maybe. Saves the farmers time and money? In the short term only, yes. Compassionate? No. Natural? No. Good for the animals or the soil? No. Are more antibiotics needed because of close proximity of animals 24/7? Yes.
Fortunately, here in France things are still a little "backward". The vast majority of farms, although gradually getting bigger with more automated milking houses, still have their cows outside, often all year (except when it snows or is extremely cold). To be honest, their lives are pretty natural (except for the artificial inseminations). But the "cow warehouses" are beginning to creep in, even here. I believe that they are quite common in some parts of the USA.
Tobi, I'm so sad to read to your news. Could there be a challenge on environmental grounds, as Catherine has suggested?
