Dark Side of Dairy report 2014

The Dark Side of Dairy – A Report on the UK Dairy IndustrySuffering in SilenceMost people see dairy cows grazing in the field andthink that they have an easy, peaceful life, and dienaturally at a ripe old age. In reality, the dairy cow isthe hardest worked of all farmed animals, nurturinga growing calf inside her while simultaneouslyproducing 24-40 litres of milk a day. No otherfarmed animal carries this dual load of pregnancyand lactation.Professor John Webster has likened the workload ofthe high-yielding dairy cow to that of:“…a jogger who goes running for sixto eight hours every day” andbelieves that “the only humans whowork harder than the dairy cow arecyclists in the Tour de France.”Professor John Webster (37)This enormous physical burden takes its toll on thecow’s body and after only two to four lactations sheis culled, either due to infertility, mastitis, severelameness or because her milk yield has dropped (8,31). A healthy beef cow, in comparison, can produce10 or more calves before reaching physicalexhaustion.“As far as the welfare issue isconcerned, the problems with beefcattle are nothing compared to theproblems in the dairy industry. Soanyone who avoids beef and elects toeat cheese due to welfare concerns ismissing the point.”Metabolic DisordersHungerThe high-yielding Holstein cow is a large animal whosimply cannot consume enough food at pasture tosustain her enormous milk output as well as her otherbodily functions, leaving her in a constant state of‘metabolic hunger’ (7, 8). At pasture, her food intakeis limited by the rate at which she can consume anddigest grass. As grass is high in fibre, it fills up therumen (stomach) quickly, causing the cow to feel ‘fullup’ while at the same time still feeling hungry fornutrients (7, 8). Standing and eating for hours on endis also very tiring work and cows, who wouldnaturally spend 12-14 hours a day lying down, faceconflicting motivation to eat or rest (8, 51). Rye grasspastures, which are very high in nitrogen, can lead toincreased urea in the cow’s blood, making her feelsick and impairing her appetite (8).The dairy cow’s feelings can be summarised as“simultaneously hungry, tired, full up and feelingsick”. Professor John Webster (8)Due to their inability to meet the metabolic demandsof lactation, it is normal for cows to ‘milk off theirbacks’ in early lactation (draw on body reserves),resulting in a ‘coat rack’ appearance with the bonesof the hips and spine protruding (8, 37). Dairyfarmers consider this to be a normal metabolicsituation in high-yielding dairy cows and have cometo accept ‘bony’ dairy cows as typical, when in factthey are malnourished (79).Professor John Webster (8, 78)In nature, cows are prey animals and as such evolvednot to be very vocal because any noise can attractpotential predators. The misconception that dairycows do not suffer often stems from the fact thatthey do not display the signs of distress that weexpect to see, such as bellowing, immobility or lossof appetite (8). Thus, even if they are suffering, theydon’t show it apart from a few physical reactionssuch as different posture or urinating. It’s beenshown that even in the most stressful place –abattoir – only about ten per cent of them vocalise;however they emit fear pheromones in their urinethat signal danger to the other animals (42).Modern dairy cows cannot consume enough food to satisfytheir enormous milk output and normal bodily functions,resulting in malnourished animals with protruding bonesPhoto©Ed Shephard22