Life Cycle of Dairy Cows Ver2F

SR No.: 200006
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Pravin K Shah
Publisher: JAINA Education Committee
Total Pages: 4
Language: English
Classification: Article, Jaina_Education, & 0_Jaina_education
File Size: 39 KB

Page 2

All dairy cows are slaughtered in America when they are around 4 to 5 years of age while their life expectancy is around 15 years. Some are to be slaughtered in factories, while others are to be slaughtered in sheds. Some receive a bullet to the head while others are stunned. (I have visited the American slaughter house). 5th Phase - Recycled Phase The first step in the slaughter house is to insert a cut in their throats so that they are bled. One can see that some cows are awake and conscious during the bleeding process. Spurting blood is collected in 55gallon drums during slaughtering process. Blood is then dried and processed into powder, then packed into 50 pound bags. Dairy farmers buy this commodity as a protein supplement to be fed to future cows and their offspring. American cows are no longer vegetarian cows. Their own blood protein is mixed with grains to feed the next generation of cows. Organic Milk: The Organic dairy farm is generally smaller than the huge factory-style farm. It does not use antibiotics, pesticides, and hormones for cows. There are no milk additives added into the milk. However there are no legal regulations that prevent organic dairy farmers from engaging in similar abuses such as keeping the cows in tie stalls and using electric milking equipment, etc. There are several organic farms that treat cows properly during her milk producing life. But to ensure steady milk production, the organic dairy farms:
Keep cows pregnant all the time through artificial insemination or other means • Sell all male baby calves and about 25% female calves to veal or beef industry, where they are
slaughtered in six months or around two years. Sell the adult cows to the slaughterhouses after four to five years when the milk production yield
drops. One will not find any cow about six years or older in age in organic farms. Hence the Organic milk is not cruelty free milk. Conclusion Every week 2.8 million four-legged animals (USDA data of week of May 10, 2008) and 189.5 million birds (Chicken, Turkey etc) get killed in USA. This is more than 27 million animals and birds together are killed per day in America. During the productive life phase, the cows are forced to produce 3 times more milk than her natural life. Also at the age of 5 years they are slaughtered instead of living 15 years of natural life. If we raise the cows naturally as was done in the past, the milk would cost 9 times more than the current cost (simple arithmetic calculation). Also the dairy industry directly supports the beef industry. If we do not consume dairy products then the cost of beef will be very high and the demand for meat product will be reduced significantly. During the 3rd phase of their journey, the middlemen who are responsible for transportation of the cows are the most abusive of human handlers (This is worst in India because the cows have to be transported long distance to the state of Kerala or Bengal to legally slaughter them.), but they exist to serve the whims of the consumer. We eat the fruit of his abusive labor and we are complicit in their crime If and when we drink a glass of milk, eat ice-cream, cheese, sweets, or for meat eaters, the meal of a burger, or nuggets, or the Colonel's crispy wings, we are eating the suffering and death of once living creatures. Jain Practice For Jains, Ahimsa is our supreme principle, and yet we use dairy products such as milk, Ghee and sweet not only in our home but also in our temple rituals and religious (Swämivätslya and Pärnä) dinner. A cow is a five-sensed (Panchendriya) animal that also possesses a mind. Cruelty to five-sensed animals is considered the highest sin as compared to the cruelty to vegetables and fewer sensed insects. As per