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Original poster

Any dairy farmers please?

130 replies

RedRedWhiney · 12/02/2023 18:54

I'm pescitarian.

Have been slowly consuming less dairy. This to me seems so horrific to immediately stop consuming any dairy.

However, Google search shows the extremems of the debate, so I would really value the input of dairy farmers

Any dairy farmers please?
OP posts:
autumn1610 · 21/02/2023 22:37

RedRedWhiney · 12/02/2023 19:45

To answer a few questions
My ethical decisions around food come from animal welfare not environment (right or wrong)
I'm pescitarian but don't eat chicken. I do eat eggs but from a small holder I know so no issues with them.
My change in dairy is to oat milk and plant butter. But I still eat cheese.

My question is because I find it very hard to research as its such an emotive subject, its very hard to find a balance

Then why do you eat fish if your concerned for animal welfare? Im not vegetarian so not judging but what makes fish different to a cow/pig etc. it seems pretty awful to me between suffocating and fish farms.

SilverViking · 21/02/2023 22:56

FurAndFeathers · 21/02/2023 21:16

Because it’s not just drinking water is it? It’s all the water used in dairy production.
washing down parlours, cleaning, (grey water) as well as feeding and drinking. It’s the total cost in litres of water that need to be put into the dairy system to generate milk as an end product, and it’s far, far more than that out into any plant based milk.

there’s plenty of research on it

Show quote history

interesting, I have just looked up some of the documentation. it does look like the figures includes "green" water, or rainwater that falls on the crops... hence why the figure looks reduculously high., especially given the abundance of rainwater in UK that would be feeding whatever is growing in the ground 😀

LakeFlyPie · 21/02/2023 23:02

Dammitthisisshit · 12/02/2023 19:21

If you’re near any of these dairies they believe in keeping calves with their mothers for longer until they naturally become independent. You can mail order if you’ve got room in the freezer:

www.cowcalfdairies.co.uk/where-to-buy

This is fantastic information. I've moved to a vegetarian WOE over the last year and am very uncomfortable with dairy but haven't been able to commit to fully vegan diet. There's a CowCalf dairy literally 15 mins down the road which I will definitely visit v soon

Followtheyellowsicktoad · 21/02/2023 23:21

I’m a small dairy farmer.

Regarding what is true and what is not - I speak for my farm and my ladies.

Calves are separated, not at 1 day though, unless the mother is not keen.

Dairy bulls are never shot these days, it’s in most contracts.

We do use artificial insemination. It is not violent, or anything really. I know some farms who don’t bother catching the cow to do it but we do. I’ve lost two cows to the over attentions of a bull and I feel that ai is safer. It’s done when the cow is in season and receptive, we also use sexed semen which reduces dairy bull calves. A bull would definitely have at a cow sooner than we do, dairy farms always give the cows a holiday.

We only use antibiotics on a strict at need basis. I haven’t used them in several years. I work hard at preventing the need for them. Ditto lameness. I get one or two lame cows a year in a bad year. Mediciments are expensive, prevention takes an eye for detail and time, and is worth it for me and my cows.

The manure my cows produce enriches the soil. I believe that truly environmentally sound farming HAS to include animals or land becomes flat and in need of ever more artificial chemicals. Green manures are doable but are better with muck.

Im sorry if I haven’t answered all your Infograph questions, I couldn’t refer back to it.

All the farmers I know care hugely about our animals. We all have favourites. Treating them shoddily is In every way counterproductive. It’s very tiring being painted with an all farmers are callous bastards brush. Particularly by anyone who eats any kind of food.

unclebuck · 22/02/2023 18:44

Followtheyellowsicktoad · 21/02/2023 23:21

I’m a small dairy farmer.

Regarding what is true and what is not - I speak for my farm and my ladies.

Calves are separated, not at 1 day though, unless the mother is not keen.

Dairy bulls are never shot these days, it’s in most contracts.

We do use artificial insemination. It is not violent, or anything really. I know some farms who don’t bother catching the cow to do it but we do. I’ve lost two cows to the over attentions of a bull and I feel that ai is safer. It’s done when the cow is in season and receptive, we also use sexed semen which reduces dairy bull calves. A bull would definitely have at a cow sooner than we do, dairy farms always give the cows a holiday.

We only use antibiotics on a strict at need basis. I haven’t used them in several years. I work hard at preventing the need for them. Ditto lameness. I get one or two lame cows a year in a bad year. Mediciments are expensive, prevention takes an eye for detail and time, and is worth it for me and my cows.

The manure my cows produce enriches the soil. I believe that truly environmentally sound farming HAS to include animals or land becomes flat and in need of ever more artificial chemicals. Green manures are doable but are better with muck.

Im sorry if I haven’t answered all your Infograph questions, I couldn’t refer back to it.

All the farmers I know care hugely about our animals. We all have favourites. Treating them shoddily is In every way counterproductive. It’s very tiring being painted with an all farmers are callous bastards brush. Particularly by anyone who eats any kind of food.

Thanks for keeping the UK countryside so beautiful, we all benefit from your incredibly hard and under paid work every day

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