EU DAIRY FARMING INVESTIGATION

In the summer of 2012, Compassion in World Farming initiated a series of undercover investigations into dairy farming within the European Union. Investigators visited over 50 farms in Germany, Denmark and Spain. What they found was shocking.
Far from being a wholesome sector, as many would believe, the footage we uncovered shows that nothing could be further from the truth.

Investigation into the farming of dairy cows in Europe
  
Published on 6 Dec 2012 - CIWFFOOTAGE

Investigation into the farming of dairy cows in Europe

When cows should have been grazing in fields, our investigation found the animals were often kept in cramped and squalid conditions. Many cows were tethered inside all year round never feeling the sun on their backs. Many more were suffering from painful lameness, sores and wounds on their legs, overgrown hooves and docked tails.

In many of the farms visited cows were kept indoors throughout the year and were never allowed out to graze on pasture. Often they are kept in barren, overcrowded, unhygienic conditions with no straw or other bedding.

In Germany many cows were  tethered by chains, sometimes 24 hours a day all year round. All they can do is stand up, lie down and move a few steps backwards, forwards or sideways.

Whilst the footage we obtained comes from three countries, the conditions in which cows live is unlikely to be limited to just those countries.

The issue of dairy cow welfare is an extremely serious one, both in terms of the numbers involved and the length of time that they suffer for.

Read the eyewitness accounts of our investigators.
What you can do – Sign petition here or click link below
Take Action
The European Commission must be made aware of the conditions in which some of Europe’s dairy cows exist. To take action, please visit www.ciwf.org/dairytruth and call for much needed legislation to guarantee minimum welfare standards for Europe’s dairy cows.

WSPA

Across the EU many cows suffer from painful and debilitating illnesses such as lameness and mastitis. Inadequate care and poor living conditions are all too frequent because there are no rules in place to protect dairy cows. We need to act now to protect dairy cows from this suffering.

Unlike pigs and hens, the EU has no specific legislation covering the welfare of Europe’s 23 million dairy cows – leaving them unprotected and at risk.

Together with our partners Ben & Jerry’s and Compassion in World Farming, the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) is calling for new rules to protect dairy cows across Europe.

Please sign our petition today and tell the European Commission to start protecting dairy cows.
Your name will be added to a letter we will send to the Commissioner, Members of the European Parliament and the Agriculture Ministers of the EU Member States.

Please sign the petition at the following link:- http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=119&ea.campaign.id=17811&ea.tracking.id=2d57aea1


Source link:
http://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/01/09/investigation-into-the-farming-of-dairy-cows-in-europe/





Please let me finish this post radiating novalike my light which is Theirs, with happiness and hopes in my heart and thinking that perhaps you may have given some thought to your ways along the way which should be a straight way for the way of Their way: Our Brethren, who although have voices we as yet do not understand we insist in calling them "voiceless".  

Nevertheless they are "voiceless" because we keep them prisoners and we behave as uncaring persons towards fully sentient persons notwithstanding we have yet grant them full rights as those we enjoy ourselves.  That should be our goal. Then we can say we have arrived in a new era: The Era of Light. 


Dedicatory and Acknowledgments 

My many thanks go to two precious Ring Neck Doves (Streptopelia decaocto) who passed away today (11th January 2013) and yet left me with a lot of Their Light to brighten up my way in my struggle to see the Light. They have been my source of inspiration, for I am Their Inspiration. 

I dedicate this writing to them. Their memory shall be with me as long as I live. Bless the day I decided to give my offering of food to them in my garden shared with many a species of feathered creatures small and big during these winter days when birds, our brethren, have a hard time finding sustainance. 

We all have as yet to learn to be more fully thankful towards all of our brethren on Earth. 


References 


Bekoff M. (Ed.)(2010). Encyclopedia of Animals Rights and Animal Welfare. 2nd Edition. Foreword by Jane Goodall. Greenwood Press, Santa Barbara, CA. 2 Vols. 685 p.


Bekoff M. & Goodall J. (2002). Minding Animals: Awareness, Emotions, and Hearts. Oxford University Press, Inc., New York, NY. 230 p.

Lymann H. F. & Merzer G. (1998). Mad Cowboy: Plain Truth from the Cattle Rancher Who Won´t Eat Meat. Scribner, New York, NY. 223 p.