Animal Rights v. U.S. Dairy Industry

[Aunt Sam]

lots of recipes call for milk....so does cereal

[Lostviking]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sam

It's The Jungle all over again...

!

So true Sam. It is exactly the same - only worse because we all should know better. I am beginning to wonder if we will be looked back at, 50 years from now, as the 'public unaware'. The more I learn about how these mega food companies do all this underhanded and harmful stuff - it makes me want to only eat veggies and line-caught fish.

I really hate what these cows are fed - its no wonder there are so many ecoli and salmonella scares. We can't even buy organic milk here - and that label is meaningless anyway. There is no reliable watchdog. If you watch these videos of Dairy cows that can't walk and the conditions these cows have to breath in - its scary drinking that milk! No one, without an interest in selling milk, tests it. How scary is that?

I guess we are all numb to this story by now - Big companies getting their own people into the 'regulatory agencies' like the FDA. But why do we stand for this? You would think with the internet being what it is - this information could be out there and available to everyone. But somehow, we are all more interested in FB friends than what poo we are eating. And I mean that literally.

[Alostrockstar]

As someone who actually works in the dairy industry, I can tell you dairy cows get the best treatment out of any livestock. Some places may do some cruel things but not every dairy does. Our cows get checked up by a vet once a month, treated for illness on a daily basis, fed twice a day, given shelter, and as long as they are still getting pregnant live a long life. Dairymen actually care about their cows because they are their income.

And these animal rights laws are killing the industry... there's a reason why dairymen are leaving the screwed up state of California.

[Lostviking]

I don't really care about animal rights, but I am very concerned about the quality of the milk.

On any given day, there are more than 8 million cows on U.S. dairy farms—about 14 million fewer than there were in 1950. Yet milk production has continued to increase, from 116 billion pounds of milk per year in 1950 to 170 billion pounds in 2004.(6,7) Normally, these animals would produce only enough milk to meet the needs of their calves (around 16 pounds per day), but genetic manipulation, antibiotics, and hormones are used to force each cow to produce more than 18,000 pounds of milk each year (an average of 50 pounds per day).(8,9) Cows are also fed unnatural, high-protein diets—which include dead chickens, pigs, and other animals—because their natural diet of grass would not provide the nutrients that they need to produce such massive amounts of milk.(10)

At some point this becomes unhealthy, doesn't it? The problem is, no one is really looking out for the consumers interest in this.

[wickedsweet]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sam

lots of recipes call for milk....so does cereal

I really don't use it much when i cook and I can't even remember the last time i had a bowl of ceral

I pretty much only use it to make ice cream and I don't do that all that often....I'm just not a big fan of dairy, maybe the occasional yogurt but otherwise ick

Originally Posted by Lostviking

So true Sam. It is exactly the same - only worse because we all should know better. I am beginning to wonder if we will be looked back at, 50 years from now, as the 'public unaware'. The more I learn about how these mega food companies do all this underhanded and harmful stuff - it makes me want to only eat veggies and line-caught fish.

I really hate what these cows are fed - its no wonder there are so many ecoli and salmonella scares. We can't even buy organic milk here - and that label is meaningless anyway. There is no reliable watchdog. If you watch these videos of Dairy cows that can't walk and the conditions these cows have to breath in - its scary drinking that milk! No one, without an interest in selling milk, tests it. How scary is that?

I guess we are all numb to this story by now - Big companies getting their own people into the 'regulatory agencies' like the FDA. But why do we stand for this? You would think with the internet being what it is - this information could be out there and available to everyone. But somehow, we are all more interested in FB friends than what poo we are eating. And I mean that literally.

I pretty much live on veggies and fish or organic/anti biotic free chicken breast but even then who the hell knows how they've been grown, handled and or packaged. it drives me crazy cause all i want is clean, healthy food with as little processing as possible, is that to much to ask?

[vincentstuntdbl#23]

Originally Posted by sdunn96

I thought this was a good article on HFCS (High Fructose Corn Syrup)

http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig5/mercola31.1.html

That is one reason why I drink soda anymore (I do have a little occasionally). Just water and coffee.

One of the worst things to happen to food/health in ages!

[Rocky Raccoon]

Originally Posted by Lostviking

I don't really care about animal rights, but I am very concerned about the quality of the milk.

lol.

[Lostviking]

Originally Posted by Rocky Raccoon

lol.

I am just being honest. I draw the line at humans and pets as far as cruelty is concerned. Otherwise you will find yourself defending insects and leaves. Health and safety of humans is a much better argument to have, IMHO.

[Aunt Sam]

Originally Posted by Alostrockstar

As someone who actually works in the dairy industry, I can tell you dairy cows get the best treatment out of any livestock. Some places may do some cruel things but not every dairy does. Our cows get checked up by a vet once a month, treated for illness on a daily basis, fed twice a day, given shelter, and as long as they are still getting pregnant live a long life. Dairymen actually care about their cows because they are their income.

And these animal rights laws are killing the industry... there's a reason why dairymen are leaving the screwed up state of California.

Yeah around here hun, but I have seen video of mistreatment in California and other places so I understand where it is coming from. The animals at Tarleton are treated exceptionally well as are those at A&M but not everywhere.

[Alostrockstar]

Originally Posted by Aunt Sam

Yeah around here hun, but I have seen video of mistreatment in California and other places so I understand where it is coming from. The animals at Tarleton are treated exceptionally well as are those at A&M but not everywhere.

Well there's your problem, California

And yeah us A&M system schools practically spoil our livestock haha