Eggs & milk

[kalrik]

Maybe the grass will always be greener. . .

[carrotflavour]

^^^^ certainly is for piggies :P

[heather]

Hi guys, I had to jump into this discussion.

I've been a vegetarian for quite a few years and just recently became vegan.

I've done some research on dairy cows, only to find bad news. These cows are impreganted every year, then when they have their baby-if it is a boy-he is normally sold to the veal industry (taken from his momma sometimes at only a few days old). If they have a girl, she is usually used for the dairy industry and kept with her mom for awhile (they give the mother 1-2 months off before getting her pregnant again).

Cows normally live to be about 20 years old, but these cows (along with beef cattle) are slaughtered after about 5 years.

As for egg laying chickens (Free range or not), they are usually slaughtered once they are no good for laying eggs anymore. Plus, if the chickens have baby boys-which are not very useful as far as the industry goes-they are sometimes killed at birth.

Who wants to eat a chicken's period anyway...that is in fact what an egg is!

As for milk---why do we think that we should drink the baby calfs nourishment? We don't hire human woman to sit and pump their milk all day for our use (though it might be an idea, at least they would be consenting to it as they have a voice!)

[Tatalp]

No, there are barely any regulations on free range egg labels, or almost any other egg label.
www.eggscam.com

[sun_sparkz]

Heather yes you are right about the impregnation of the cows to produce milk. I have 2 dairy cows at home and they can keep producing milk for up to 2 years after the birth of their baby.. as long as something keeps extracting the milk.. they will keep producing it. Although i have never heard of anyone eating a ex dairy cow apart from dog meat... and only ever at the age of about 10-15 years at that. where are you getting your information from??

Lambs and Goats however arent the same, they stop producing milk about 6 months after birth (from my exp. anyway)

As far as eggs go thats fine if your choice is not to eat them, but only about 55% of my eggs laid are ever fertilised anyway, to leave them in the nest only attracts predators like snakes, foxes and larger birds - which will kill the poultry. If you left the fertilised eggs there all time instead of just spring, then chickens may be hatched out in the middle of winter.. or middle of summer and probably not make it through the first week of life, which is heart breaking and again attracts the foxes.

[heather]

Originally Posted by sun_sparkz

Heather yes you are right about the impregnation of the cows to produce milk. I have 2 dairy cows at home and they can keep producing milk for up to 2 years after the birth of their baby.. as long as something keeps extracting the milk.. they will keep producing it. Although i have never heard of anyone eating a ex dairy cow apart from dog meat... and only ever at the age of about 10-15 years at that. where are you getting your information from??

Lambs and Goats however arent the same, they stop producing milk about 6 months after birth (from my exp. anyway)

As far as eggs go thats fine if your choice is not to eat them, but only about 55% of my eggs laid are ever fertilised anyway, to leave them in the nest only attracts predators like snakes, foxes and larger birds - which will kill the poultry. If you left the fertilised eggs there all time instead of just spring, then chickens may be hatched out in the middle of winter.. or middle of summer and probably not make it through the first week of life, which is heart breaking and again attracts the foxes.

I'm getting my information from Animal Welfare experts (one in the US and the other in Canada), Agriculture ministers, The CCFA, I have interviewed a hand full of slaughterhouse workers, plus tuns of other sources (I am completing a research paper on this topic)

You have to keep in mind that I am talking about the larger industries here, not hobby or family farms. I carry much respect for those who have small farms and treat their animals to a good life.

It is a fact that most calcium depleted cows from factory farms are slaughtered for low grade meat. Some are only used for milk for about 3-4 years before slaugher.

The industry has no use for male calves (with the exception of keeping one every now and then for insemination), therefore, most males are sold to the veal industry.

As I'm sure you have heard, many producers in the US inject their cows with Bovine Growth Hormone which can lead to utter infections. The drug has been banned in Canada, though who knows if it is still "really" used in some cases.

As for eggs, I see nothing wrong with other people eating them (just not me! I can't bring myself to eat them!). I just hate what the industry has become. Battery cages have been banned in some parts of the world, though Canada and the US are guilty. There is a no-kill/free range chicken farm close to our house which I think is wonderful, they obviosly aren't in it for the money, I'd say it is more of a hobby.

I'm curious, what do you do with your male calves?

I could ramble on, but I'll save oyu from the boredom!

I think what you are doing is great, I'm sure you have two lucky cows. ) I just wish more people would see that the old way of farming is being replaced with a monster.

[sun_sparkz]

Yes definately i agree that the old way of farming is definately better but only fiesable when you are doing it on a small scale, when it becomes "mass" its just gets pear shaped and people get greedy.

I grow my veges, eggs and we drink a LITTLE of the milk but its not great tasting,(although thats just in my head) - but if i had to provide for 50 dependants it may be a different story.

I have a large seasonable vegetable patch, and will not buy frozen or pre dried as i have seen what mass vege farmers do to the land. big pea brands, after cropping, there is just nothing left in the earth... and they dont even stock the yards after harvesting to reduce the rubble... anyway thats another story.

I do as i said have 2 big dopey looking dairy cows.. they can milk up to 2 years but i would not drink it - - it has grass in there! ick. anyway i sustain their milk supply so that they can support orphaned calves when i am conned into adopting them (i am the bleeding heart of this farming town) as bottled milk does nothing for their health in my opinion.

male calves.. i have only encontered one dairy and we sold him at about the age of 1 yrs. as he was a hand fed and carefully raised bull he was absolutely strapping and a highly saught breeder. its usually a female that is born from my dairies ( i wonder if this has anything to do with the male chromosone being weeded out? stupid thought perhaps) but the calves i adopt and poddy up are both sexes. I live in a primarily Beef Cattle area and both male (steer) cattle and the females are farmed the same. i just try to give them the best i can while they are young as i cant stand them perishing out there without a mummy. same deal with the lambs. I dont farm any animals for consumption myself but everyone in my town does so thats how i come across these ones.