Comments on: Why I care about the back end of a dairy cow http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/ Blogging by a team of pet-care experts. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:26:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Colorado Transplant http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474951 Colorado Transplant Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:58:07 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474951 How to get our bodies to accept viruses, bacteria, feces, antibiotics, etc. from large farm raised animals is now the question. So many people in our U.S. population are exposed to said ingredients in their meat and poultry. Oh, well, the strong shall survive. :^) How to get our bodies to accept viruses, bacteria, feces, antibiotics, etc. from large farm raised animals is now the question.

So many people in our U.S. population are exposed to said ingredients in their meat and poultry.

Oh, well, the strong shall survive. :^)

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474948 Gina Spadafori Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:40:10 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474948 Yes, well, thank you for your grammar-challenged contribution to the debate. I guess you missed the peer-reviewed studies showing no benefit to the procedure, or the fact that farm bureaus and the AVMA (neither exactly known for being against factory farming) are opposed to tail docking. Yes, well, thank you for your grammar-challenged contribution to the debate. I guess you missed the peer-reviewed studies showing no benefit to the procedure, or the fact that farm bureaus and the AVMA (neither exactly known for being against factory farming) are opposed to tail docking.

]]> By: skippy http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474943 skippy Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:28:33 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474943 People who think that docking a cows tail is cruel will also welcome cow poop in there milk. Or insecticide in there soymilk. People who think that docking a cows tail is cruel will also welcome cow poop in there milk. Or insecticide in there soymilk.

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474811 Gina Spadafori Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:54:21 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474811 Thanks, Laura. Obviously a lot of legislative issues have people who deal with animals divided, but this doesn't seem to be one of those issues. Which makes me wonder: Why does the dairy need to have a law to stop this practice? Why didn't they just clean up their own act? :::sigh::: Thanks, Laura. Obviously a lot of legislative issues have people who deal with animals divided, but this doesn’t seem to be one of those issues.

Which makes me wonder: Why does the dairy need to have a law to stop this practice? Why didn’t they just clean up their own act?

:::sigh:::

]]> By: LauraS http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474810 LauraS Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:28:10 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474810 According to the California Farm Bureau Federation: - California Farm Bureau Federation SUPPORTS SB 135 - California Cattlemen's Association SUPPORTS SB 135 - Western United Dairymen is neutral on SB 135 The California Farm Bureau Federation is not aware of any groups opposing SB 135. There was a minor amendment to the bill that these groups had requested, which they got. According to the California Farm Bureau Federation:

- California Farm Bureau Federation SUPPORTS SB 135

- California Cattlemen’s Association SUPPORTS SB 135

- Western United Dairymen is neutral on SB 135

The California Farm Bureau Federation is not aware of any groups opposing SB 135. There was a minor amendment to the bill that these groups had requested, which they got.

]]> By: Rinalia http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474807 Rinalia Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:43:10 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474807 We have a cow at the sanctuary where I work who was tail-docked at a dairy farm. She has a horrendous time dealing with flies, just awful. It's not a common practice in the United States (only about 15% of ENTIRE herds are tail docked) but between 50-80% of dairy herdsmen admit to tail docking some of their cows. It's a lot more common in Australia, where it originated. It's a useless, cruel practice that I'm glad has passed through both the Assembly & Senate with bi-partisan support. Even though the Governor made some silly cracks about this very basic law, we certainly hope he signs it. We have a cow at the sanctuary where I work who was tail-docked at a dairy farm. She has a horrendous time dealing with flies, just awful.

It’s not a common practice in the United States (only about 15% of ENTIRE herds are tail docked) but between 50-80% of dairy herdsmen admit to tail docking some of their cows. It’s a lot more common in Australia, where it originated.

It’s a useless, cruel practice that I’m glad has passed through both the Assembly & Senate with bi-partisan support. Even though the Governor made some silly cracks about this very basic law, we certainly hope he signs it.

]]> By: YesBiscuit! http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474806 YesBiscuit! Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:18:53 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474806 Yeah it's all snickers and giggles in SC these days. Out of interest, I found some additional info which was helpful for me, maybe for some of the other readers too: "United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands have already outlawed the practice." http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-legislative/11808570-1.html "Banding with rubber calf castrating bands was the method of choice on 92.5% of the dairies where cows had docked tails. The remaining dairies (7.5%) cut the tails off. Tree pruners were used to cut tails of adult cows on 2.7% of the dairies. Three producers cut tails on d 1 or 2, one producer at 2 mo, and 3 producers cut tails off before calving. Interviews indicated that pruning shears or tree pruners were the most common methods. Pain relief was not administered on any dairy after tail-docking." http://www.grandin.com/references/survey.dairy.mgmt.practices.html Yeah it’s all snickers and giggles in SC these days.
Out of interest, I found some additional info which was helpful for me, maybe for some of the other readers too:
“United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands have already outlawed the practice.”
http://www.allbusiness.com/gov.....570-1.html

“Banding with rubber calf castrating bands was the method of choice on 92.5% of the dairies where cows had docked tails. The remaining dairies (7.5%) cut the tails off. Tree pruners were used to cut tails of adult cows on 2.7% of the dairies. Three producers cut tails on d 1 or 2, one producer at 2 mo, and 3 producers cut tails off before calving. Interviews indicated that pruning shears or tree pruners were the most common methods. Pain relief was not administered on any dairy after tail-docking.”
http://www.grandin.com/referen.....tices.html

]]> By: Gina Spadafori http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474803 Gina Spadafori Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:22:50 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474803 Duly noted and changed. The procedure still hurts and has no point. Duly noted and changed. The procedure still hurts and has no point.

]]> By: Sarah B. http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474802 Sarah B. Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:13:49 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474802 They don't 'saw' the tails off. The majority are banded like sheep. Some are cut with a docking iron (cauterizes and cuts simultaneously). The procedure is done to heifer calves at weaning or to cows after they have their first calf. The practice was thought to improve cleanliness and udder health (mastitis prevention). This has been refuted by research but the practice continues. My biggest concern about it is much like that of draft horses that have their tails docked - fly control. http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/newsletters/v11n3/11n3tuck.htm They don’t ‘saw’ the tails off. The majority are banded like sheep. Some are cut with a docking iron (cauterizes and cuts simultaneously). The procedure is done to heifer calves at weaning or to cows after they have their first calf. The practice was thought to improve cleanliness and udder health (mastitis prevention). This has been refuted by research but the practice continues. My biggest concern about it is much like that of draft horses that have their tails docked - fly control.

http://www.nal.usda.gov/awic/n.....n3tuck.htm

]]> By: LynnO http://www.petconnection.com/blog/2009/09/11/why-i-care-about-the-back-end-of-a-dairy-cow/comment-page-1/#comment-474801 LynnO Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:40:32 +0000 http://www.petconnection.com/blog/?p=8965#comment-474801 Actually, my brother-in-laws are the sons of a dairy farmer, and yes, a cow poopy tail can whap you a good one, especially if you're new at that whole milking thing and you don't treat their boobies with respect. (Those machines suck HARD and need to be installed properly!) But here's the thing, standard protocol at their dairy farm is to wash the cow's udders, AND TAIL if necessary, prior to milking. My cow, a dexter, not much of a milker, has a lovely tail that almost drags on the ground. I wash, or at least dry-groom it regularly. It's a wonderful tool and they deserve to have them. I was upset to see that the pig farmer docked the tails on my feeder pigs. They were just wee babes and I thought I could get them pre-docking...but no, torture for livestock starts really early. Actually, my brother-in-laws are the sons of a dairy farmer, and yes, a cow poopy tail can whap you a good one, especially if you’re new at that whole milking thing and you don’t treat their boobies with respect. (Those machines suck HARD and need to be installed properly!)
But here’s the thing, standard protocol at their dairy farm is to wash the cow’s udders, AND TAIL if necessary, prior to milking.
My cow, a dexter, not much of a milker, has a lovely tail that almost drags on the ground. I wash, or at least dry-groom it regularly. It’s a wonderful tool and they deserve to have them.
I was upset to see that the pig farmer docked the tails on my feeder pigs. They were just wee babes and I thought I could get them pre-docking…but no, torture for livestock starts really early.

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