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Are dairy cows happy in stalls?

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Dario D.

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Hi, all. First post. :)

I've been trying to understand vegetarianism and veganism, and, even though I don't agree with most of their claims so far (because studies seem to disagree a lot), I have a question about stalls.

Does anyone know if dairy cows are generally happy in their stalls? I'm referring to the small ones, where the cows always face the same direction (assuming the majority are like that).

(Just a note: I'd personally more prefer answers from people who don't actually keep animals in similar stalls, for obvious reasons... I mean, of course, unless you keep a more rational view of these things, as opposed to those who go onto defensive autopilot.)

Update: By the way, I'm not here to try to prove anything. :p See below.
 
I think I am going to go out for supper tonight with my wife, we will carry on a nice conversation and not be baited into a discussion like this, which the information will be turned and used against us....

thanks for playing Dario....now move along
 
Are you gonna go to a nice steak place. I hope you don't take your wife out to McDonalds or some vegetarian slop house.
 
I understand you get those people, but I wasn't planning to do or say anything. :) Try me. :p

By the way, my story is:
My cousin would like me to consider being a vegan, so, she had me watch some stuff. However, while watching, I was looking up studies about most of the claims, and therefore disagreed with most.

One question I came up with, though, was: what about just standing all day, in the same exact position? Now, I personally could sit forever and ever in my computer chair, so I'm not automatically assuming animals must hate it... but I still have questions, because my sitting is done in a state of perfect mental stimulation, and I never get bored. Animals, on the other hand, apparently have nothing to do, besides eat. Now, maybe that's all the stimulation they need, but also maybe not. What if they get full, then eat only to prevent themselves from going insane? Or what if they have a massive, constant craving to go exercise?

So, I was hoping I could find some livestock people who know about this, and whether the animals seem more on the happy side, or more on the miserable side. Starting with cows, I guess.[/i]
 
I hope all the people whose closeness to animals is a burger, an egg, or a bacon strip, can get together and decide for all of us who deliver a breech calf at 4 in the morning at 10 degrees, chase the neighbors bull back home, work to keep the chickens laying at 110 degrees, that all our work is not I. The best interest of said critter. They get mistreated, stressed, or uncomfortable and I lose money, time, and effort.
Sen Fienstien and her friends need to follow us around for 1 day, just to see what goes on. Myself, I really hope that California does without eggs. An empty belly causes the brain to work with a lot more effiency. :roll: :roll:
 
Well Dario I would say that cows kept in stalls which I'm not sure any dairies do much anymore and quite content if they are well fed and bedded. Milked regular and treated humanely. It is in the dairyman's best interest to have "Happy" cows.
 
used to be alot dairys here, most had free stall barn where the cow ate thru a manger feed bunck on one side and had a stall to lay in on the other side, most all cows went to the same stall to lay down and chew her cud....
 
Seems to me you are ruling out the most informed input right off the bat- the people that have housed cattle will be the most informative.

Secondly, if you are seeking this kind of input, you may want to seek a dairy forum. I imaginge the majority on here are involved with free range cattle.

Most of the dairy's I have seen, cattle are able to move about somewhat freely in a moderate sized area.

But as was previously stated, animals that aren't housed and cared for properly, don't produce. It is sad, but I think you will find a higher percentage of children neglected in the US than you will dairy cattle.
 
okfarmer said:
Seems to me you are ruling out the most informed input right off the bat- the people that have housed cattle will be the most informative.

Secondly, if you are seeking this kind of input, you may want to seek a dairy forum. I imaginge the majority on here are involved with free range cattle.

Most of the dairy's I have seen, cattle are able to move about somewhat freely in a moderate sized area.

But as was previously stated, animals that aren't housed and cared for properly, don't produce. It is sad, but I think you will find a higher percentage of children neglected in the US than you will dairy cattle.


Hear, hear!

To answer your question, how rational is it to try to measure animal experience with human-equivalent values? We cattle people have all watched two fighting animals pounding on each other with enough force to crush a man to pieces, and, after the fight is over, walk away as if nothing happened.

As for the matter of stalls, there are entire industries built around developing "cow comfort", and farmers spend huge amounts of money keeping their cows comfortable - rubber mats of various design, sand beds, clay beds . . . Otherwise, as others have already stated, they lose production and therefore profit! A happy cow is a productive cow.

On the issue of humane treatment, what does your cousin think about employees having to spend their entire working day in a tiny cubicle at the office, or even more unnatural, doctors killing babies in their mother's womb?
 
Of all the dairies I have seen not a one had cows in a small stall where they couldn't turn around. The only time they were confined was when they were being milked. I think someone got some misinformation.

Remember the Dirty Jobs clip and the castration of sheep and society had no clue as to what really goes on and the welfare of animals
 
Dario D. said:
I understand you get those people, but I wasn't planning to do or say anything. :) Try me. :p

By the way, my story is:
My cousin would like me to consider being a vegan, so, she had me watch some stuff. However, while watching, I was looking up studies about most of the claims, and therefore disagreed with most.

One question I came up with, though, was: what about just standing all day, in the same exact position? Now, I personally could sit forever and ever in my computer chair, so I'm not automatically assuming animals must hate it... but I still have questions, because my sitting is done in a state of perfect mental stimulation, and I never get bored. Animals, on the other hand, apparently have nothing to do, besides eat. Now, maybe that's all the stimulation they need, but also maybe not. What if they get full, then eat only to prevent themselves from going insane? Or what if they have a massive, constant craving to go exercise?

So, I was hoping I could find some livestock people who know about this, and whether the animals seem more on the happy side, or more on the miserable side. Starting with cows, I guess.[/i]

sorry, you still seem like an internet troll to me...looking to hang a man with his own words.... eco terrorist type.....
 
Dario D. said:
I understand you get those people... Animals, on the other hand, apparently have nothing to do, besides eat. Now, maybe that's all the stimulation they need, but also maybe not. What if they get full, then eat only to prevent themselves from going insane? Or what if they have a massive, constant craving to go exercise?[/i]

You know, you might be onto something here, but one farmer's experience sure did show otherwise. :) Here's why -

One time a farmer who had his cows tied up all the time let them go outside. As soon as they were out in the yard, the boss cow said, "Sisters, line up in formation and start your stretches. Left hoof up, left hoof down. Right hoof up. Right hoof down. Step lively, shake those booties" and she kept them at it because she really thought they would enjoy it. After all, she knew that people do this kind of thing for exercise.

Well she had her sisters doing all these really nifty exercises for all the rest of the day.

And the next! Because she had this constant craving for exercise.

But the rest of the cows just wanted to eat and stand around and have the odd nap! Naturally, they got upset and a few of them went over the edge and "got rid" of the boss cow, that's how angry they were! After the burial, they all just went back to eating, standing around, getting milked twice a day and lying down in their stalls, grateful for the relaxation they again enjoyed.

And now, Dario D., you know the story of how MAD COWS really started . . .

:cowboy:
 
hmmm you ask for input but dont want any dairy people to give their opinion, post this topic in poltical instead of ranch .....
I agree with Mike

BUT I will give my opinion, I worked for a large dairy. There are a couple times the cows are kept "confined" Twice a day for milking...they enjoy getting milked...ask any new mom LOL Then again when they are being treated for worms, any injury ect... There is a "bed" area which is dirt that is "tilled" every other day. Then a paved area with the head mangers where they stick their head through to eat. They have free access to a well balanced diet along with fresh water. The paved area is washed every 20 mins with water to clear away the cow patties.
I have seen some of the youtube LOL yeah ok ask yourself this why does everyone look at the camera? NO they are not looking at the person and the camera is in the hat....eyes would be lowered. Why do they "explain" what they are doing? If you work at a dairy and are training you give instructions and have the new person watch ....
Try a vegan diet LOL either you will be back to eating meat in about 4-6 months or you will enjoy it. As for me I want a balanced diet ...we are omnivores. remember how to tell the difference...eyes on the side like to hide, eyes on the front like to hunt ;)
OK I am off to hunt for my first eggs....
 
my uncle had a dairy herd when I was growing up..

the herd was usually about a 1/4 mile away and with a shout, they would come running.. at first a fast trot,.. then by the time they hit the gates it was a challenge to slow them down...

he has small stalls.. head chutes and a rather advanced milking machine for the day...

we seldom ever closed the head chutes.. didn't need to .. in fact most of the time it took an effort to kick the old girls out..

and then some would try to sneak around and get back in line.. bawling at the closed gate...


so yes it appears in a cow's world.. it was better (more exciting) then sitting in a pasture all day with nothing to do but eat and sleep..

heck most girls want a meal,.. a bit of attention,.. and to have some guy play with their,.... before they go out for a walk in the park..
 
Dairied for years and housed the cattle in a free stall barn. Nice padded place to lay down anytime they wanted, with cool misters and fans blowing on them. Never heard a one say she was bored or unhappy.
 
Those dairy farmers should be ashamed of coaxing their cows to consume mass quantities of "DMHO" . Disgusting..................

http://www.dhmo.org/milk.html
 
Mike said:
Those dairy farmers should be ashamed of coaxing their cows to consume mass quantities of "DMHO" . Disgusting..................

http://www.dhmo.org/milk.html

you can lead a horse to Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO), but you can't make him drink the crap.. :lol:
 
Mike said:
Those dairy farmers should be ashamed of coaxing their cows to consume mass quantities of "DMHO" . Disgusting..................

http://www.dhmo.org/milk.html

There's a reason that the government has been slow to act on this issue.

If they give the farmers a hard time for using huge quantities of it, then they will have to deal with urban centers who are widely known to store millions of gallons of it. It is so toxic that less than a cup of it will kill an infant by rendering its airways inoperable, yet there are massive tanks of it around towns and cities that are barely given any supervision.

When asked why they store so much of this chemical, they usually just look at the questioner as if he was stupid and never feel compelled to give an answer . . .
 

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