________________
CONDUCT
C07- Jain Ethics and the Environment
Cows are kept pregnant all the time. They may be subject to artificial insemination and other practices that ensure the maximum production of milk.
Approximately 80% of baby calves are sold to the veal or beef industry, where they are slaughtered between the ages of six months to three years in the West. Sometimes, in several village in India, farmers let the male calf die of hunger (I have observed this practice in our holy city of Palitana).
Milk cows are sold to slaughterhouses after five to six years of age when their milk production drops more than 30% (this is true in India more than 95% of the time). The life expectancy of a dairy cow is 15 to 20 years.
Hormones and antibiotics are fed or injected daily to increase milk yield (except in organic dairy farms). Almost all small dairies in India also use hormones and antibiotics.
Since cows are continuously kept pregnant and also fed or injected daily with hormones and antibiotics, they produce about three times more milk than what they would produce normally and naturally (about 80 years ago). In other words, the cow's body has to work 3 times more to produce such a large quantity of milk.
In this way, farmers try to meet the growing demand of dairy products without increasing the number of cows.
After about five years of this intense stress, the cow's body breaks down and her milk production drops significantly. At this time, she is sent to a slaughterhouse (legally in the western world and in most cases illegally in India.) There are many illegal slaughterhouses in India. I have visited a few of them in Ahmedabad and other places. Less than 1.0% of cows end-up in the cow shelter place known as "Panjarapol" in India.
Organic Dairy Farm
The organic dairy farm is generally smaller than the huge factory-style farm. It does not use antibiotics, pesticides, and hormones on the cows. There are no additives added into the milk. However, these farms also practice the following:
• Keep cows continually pregnant
• Sell approximately 80% of calves to the veal or beef industry
• Sell cows to slaughterhouses after five or six years
Therefore, organic milk is almost as cruel as regular milk.
05 Jainism and the Environment What does Jainism teach about ecology?
The ancient Jain scriptural aphorism "Parasparopagraho Jivänäm" (all life is bound together by mutual support and interdependence) forms the basis of the modern day science of ecology. This ancient Jain principle teaches that all of nature is bound together, and says that if one does not care for nature, one does not care for oneself.
It is logical that for our own wellbeing, we need to respect our environment and look after it.
According to Jainism, living beings are not only plants and animals, but the air, water, and earth also contain living, sentient beings. The environment is, therefore, an enormous living system. Under the principle of non-violence, it is our duty as Jains to protect the environment. Many modern Jains concern themselves primarily with direct forms of Ahimsä, such as not eating meat and not killing small insects. Jainism, however, demands that we also consider indirect forms of Ahimsä. Indirect Ahimsä is sometimes more difficult to incorporate into our daily lives because we often do not immediately see the consequences of our actions, which could be very violent and destructive to the environment. In order to practice indirect Ahimsä, the first step is to become aware of environmental problems and the simple things we can do to help.
Compendium of Jainism - 2015
Page 167 of 398
