DH asked me what do cows eat. AIBU to divorce him immediately?

[TheIckabog]

We were watching a program about a fancy hotel where they have their own cows. There was a clip of the cows being hand fed apples.

DH exclaimed in surprise ‘I didn’t know cows eat apples!’ He then paused and said, ‘What DO cows eat?’ whilst looking genuinely puzzled.

I said to him what do you think they do all day in the fields? They eat grass/hay etc, how do you not know this? DH then shrugged and said he’d never really thought about it.

He is a well educated intelligent man in his 40s. We also grew up/live in a place where dairy production accounts for a large percent of the export, so it’s not like he’s never seen a cow in a field or on a farm before.

I am aghast. AIBU to divorce him immediately? I really can’t see any other option to be honest

@derxa

The OP isn't serious. It's a joke thread. It started out like that but then turned into an attack on farmers. I don't mind criticism but draw the line at downright misinformation.

That is the way of the MN, I'm afraid. You never know when a thread is going to turn nasty.

My ex thought birds only come out in the spring, summer and autumn.

@Emma090

My ex thought birds only come out in the spring, summer and autumn.

What was his explanation for the seasonal Christmas robin then?

My hubby asked which part of the chicken the thighs came from.....
He's 51....
🙄🙄

It started out like that but then turned into an attack on farmers. I don't mind criticism but draw the line at downright misinformation.

It was the farmers spreading that misinformation. The farmers lies were corrected, that’s not an attack.

Yes, the people with years of experience and expertise were once again accused of 'lying' by people that might have set foot on a farm once or twice in their life but know much more than us because they've seen it on the Internet. How dare you accuse me and the other farmers on here of 'lying' because what we know doesn't match your imaginary agenda. Rude as well as wrong.

@VampireBill

Yes, the people with years of experience and expertise were once again accused of 'lying' by people that might have set foot on a farm once or twice in their life but know much more than us because they've seen it on the Internet. How dare you accuse me and the other farmers on here of 'lying' because what we know doesn't match your imaginary agenda. Rude as well as wrong.

Lol. I’ve been on many farms, much more than once or twice. And I still have lots of conversations with my extended family who farm and family friends who also farm. They all say that the cows and calves cry for each other and I’ve seen it numerous times for myself. So yes, the farmers who say they don’t, are lying. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Cows eat their own vomit repeatedly, they regurgitate until they’ve broken it down

Maybe if you use the word "yell" or "shout" rather than "cry" (much closer noise in my view), that can shine a different light on it?

The word "cry", coupled with the term "babies", can be very emotive especially on a site where the majority of the audience are parents, and emotive terminology has long been used as a way to sway people's opinions.

I just go with the facts that a) our bodies were designed as omnivorous (whether by evolution or by a creator) and b) the more intensive farming methods of the present day compared to say iron age are required because the world population has grown from around 50 million to nearly 8 billion.

Maybe if you use the word "yell" or "shout" rather than "cry" (much closer noise in my view), that can shine a different light on it?
The word "cry", coupled with the term "babies", can be very emotive especially on a site where the majority of the audience are parents, and emotive terminology has long been used as a way to sway people's opinions. All of this.

Allergictoironing

I don’t mind which term is used. The cow and calf want to be next to each other so they make a noise to show that. They call out for each other. Fine with stick to cows and calves too instead of babies and mums since that’s been mentioned too. It doesn’t change what happens.

I just go with the facts that a) our bodies were designed as omnivorous (whether by evolution or by a creator) and b) the more intensive farming methods of the present day compared to say iron age are required because the world population has grown from around 50 million to nearly 8 billion.

Our bodies can cope with eating meat or just a plant based diet. I don’t agree that intensive farming methods will ever be justified. Some people think differently. That’s fine, as always, just be aware of the facts.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/metro.co.uk/2020/01/16/secret-camera-films-starving-pigs-eating-alive-12068676/amp/

www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2020/07/27/Supermarket-backlash-over-animal-welfare-concerns-at-St-Helen-s-Farm

Just a couple of recent cases of horrific animal cruelty on factory farms, if anyone is interested. In the U.K., this year.

I’m not for one minute implying that any of the farmers on this thread or on mumsnet treat their animals in this horrific way

I’m sure my name is a giveaway as to where I stand on this, but I think it’s mad to suggest that ‘vegans v farmers’ is somehow a black and white issue.

There are bad farmers who are actively cruel or neglectful to their animals, and there are good farmers who look after their animals’ welfare. Of course there’s a spectrum, just like anything!

I happen to think that animal farming is inherently exploitative, because I fundamentally believe that animals have a right to their own lives. I think it’s hard to make a case that animal farming isn’t exploitative - but many people think that the exploitation is justified for various reasons (food security, health, food preferences, british industry, etc) and have no issue with it as long as the animals are treated well while alive.

I don’t expect everyone to agree on that, and that’s ok. It would be really hypocritical for me to call someone cruel for not being vegan because for most of my life to date I wasn’t vegan and I didn’t consider myself cruel. I also think that eating animal products is so normalised that most people don’t have to think about it much, and that’s not a moral failing. It’s just an inevitable aspect of being part of a culture that relies on using animals.

I also think that food is very closely tied up with complicated emotional things like family, heritage, comfort etc. If people weren’t raised to eat meat and animal products, I believe they would never choose to start. But when you’re being asked to give up having your mum’s Sunday roast or your favourite comforting macaroni cheese or ice cream on the beach with your kids, it seems like so much more of a sacrifice. I absolutely understand why people look for justifications which allow them to continue; I did the same myself for many years precisely because it was so hard.

Now that I have made the transition I feel so much happier in my soul. I feel little guilt about my diet, and the cognitive dissonance I felt about loving animals and yet allowing them to be killed for my benefit has obviously resolved. I eat really well and make delicious food, and with vegan versions of almost everything now I feel like the sacrifice is minimal. But I am always attuned to how long it took me to take the decision, and how hard it was to contemplate giving up the foods I loved and was comforted by. I think it’s important to respect why people struggle to reach the point of making a change like going vegan, because it’s not a straightforward switch.

@VampireBill

Yes, the people with years of experience and expertise were once again accused of 'lying' by people that might have set foot on a farm once or twice in their life but know much more than us because they've seen it on the Internet. How dare you accuse me and the other farmers on here of 'lying' because what we know doesn't match your imaginary agenda. Rude as well as wrong.

Absolutely.

Farmers have the knowledge of the weather, the countryside and husbandry in their DNA, passed down over successive generations - it really is that straight forward.

I understand perfectly HappyHerbivore. However what do you make of a report I watched on Channel 4 News tonight about orphans in Syria and the woman (grandmother ?) who was feeding them. She said she wished she could feed them some meat. What do you say to her?

@derxa I doubt very much I would say anything to her, except to help her if I was in any way able to.

As I think my post made clear, I’m not judgmental of people who aren’t vegan because I understand why it’s a difficult decision to make at the best of times, even in this country where food is generally plentiful and starvation rare (though not of course unheard of, especially in light of the desperate and tragic case of Mercy Baguma).

It therefore goes without saying that when we’re discussing a person in a war torn country facing widespread famine and a pandemic with virtually no publicly accessible healthcare, there is no basis on which to discuss a conversion to veganism.

If you’re concerned about the Syrian famine, you can donate to several organisations. Here are some links: www.savethechildren.org.uk/how-you-can-help/emergencies/syria-crisis-appeal-donate?sourcecode=SA4006006&utm_campaign=syria&utm_medium=ppc&utm_source=pss1&cid=pse-gpsyriacrisisppcsitelink_SA4006006-sca_001-9A76930ND&ppc=true&ppc=true&matchtype=e&matchtype=e&s_keyword=famine%2520syria&s_keyword=famine%2520syria&adposition=&adposition=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrazE8ZK36wIVCbLtCh2o1ABvEAAYASAAEgIdYfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

www.oxfam.org.uk/what-we-do/emergency-response/syria-crisis

I volunteer with Oxfam (or did, pre-corona shutting down the centre I worked at) and the general consensus is that the impact of CV-19 is going to be devastating beyond imagining for refugees in Syria, but public engagement with the crisis is poor (because of burnout and many other competing concerns). So if you do donate money, or would consider doing so if you don’t already, that is / would be amazing.

TheHappyHerbivore

Very good posts.

@TheHappyHerbivore I will definitely donate to save the children on payday, thanks for the links.
Completely agree with all your posts btw

@RaveOm that’s brilliant, will really be appreciated

He is a silly person