I was asked this by one of my friend while discussing about dairy farming. We had a good discussion around it – so here is my take. It all depends on each individuals perspective. So before we go any further – let me clarify my point of view – Dairy farming is absolutely unethical.
- Positives:
- Dairy animals are provided good shelter.
- They are provided chaffed green fodder.
- They are provided balanced nutritious concentrate feed.
- They are good veterinary care and medicines
- Their calves are taken good care
- Negatives:
- Animals are confined to a small area and some of them are tied in the shed for years together.
- We extract the milk which rightfully belongs to its calf.
- Cows do not even get to mate a bull – most of them are artificially inseminated.
- Male calves are sent to slaughtering after lactation ends.
- Dairy animals don’t even die a natural death – all of them are slaughtered when they are not financially viable as a dairy animal
Conclusion: From the day they are born till the day they die almost all dairy animals live a controlled life to service the human needs. That’s true for all domesticated animals whether it is cow, buffalo, goat or a hen. The reason for this cruelty is not just the dairy farmer but all human beings because milk, milk products, meat and leather products are part and parcel of every ones life.
Alternate View: In my personal opinion, our current human life is no different from a dairy animal. On the positive side – we drive good cars, live in big houses, use smart phones, wear good clothes, get good health care, eat more food than we can burn and provide good education to kids. On the negative side – we live most of our lives sitting in a chair working on the laptop in an AC office in a job we dislike every single day till the day we retire to pay for all those EMIs. Are we not trapped in a life which looks shiny on the outside but hollow inside on greedy competition with each other. Are our lives cruel and unethical compared to our ancestors? – We screwed our lives and also every life around us – just think about it. This is the impact of western culture on us as well as our domestic animals.