Thanks heaps! That will surely get me started. I am just hoping I can get someone to talk to me about the real impact on the cows. I'm sure that the farmers will say it doesn't affect the animals, but I am sure that it does, so I have to figure out who to talk to.
Hopefully I can get people to realise that their milk is not just a product in a bottle.
I am still on fb, I was wondering where you'd gone!
& yep I agree it will affect the cows, if it affects the retailers it's really just a domino effect, it will affect the farmers and to remain profitable the farmers need to cut costs or become more efficient and when you're talking about animals being the profit - their welfare will surely suffer more because of it.
Yeah, I have already heard talk about the machinery that they use for milking having to be downgraded in some of the dairies because of costs. The new equipment was apparently more 'comfortable' for the cows, or something. So i'll have to look into that.
Thanks heaps! That will surely get me started. I am just hoping I can get someone to talk to me about the real impact on the cows. I'm sure that the farmers will say it doesn't affect the animals, but I am sure that it does, so I have to figure out who to talk to.
Hopefully I can get people to realise that their milk is not just a product in a bottle.
I am still on fb, I was wondering where you'd gone!
& yep I agree it will affect the cows, if it affects the retailers it's really just a domino effect, it will affect the farmers and to remain profitable the farmers need to cut costs or become more efficient and when you're talking about animals being the profit - their welfare will surely suffer more because of it.
Yeah, I have already heard talk about the machinery that they use for milking having to be downgraded in some of the dairies because of costs. The new equipment was apparently more 'comfortable' for the cows, or something. So i'll have to look into that.
Bobby calf time off feed is another example.
Even though people say they aren't related because of the timing, retail prices would have been discussed long ago with the industry before it came into play
If you can wade through them, there are some interesting perspectives on the comment threads on these pages -- a few dairy farmers are in the conversation saying that pressure on prices is likely to mean their means to raise bobby calves rather than slaughter them will be diminished (i.e. more will be killed as babies). It's hard to know how much weight to give this argument because the practice of killing bobby calves has been around for a very very long time. It might be worth investigating however,
If you can wade through them, there are some interesting perspectives on the comment threads on these pages -- a few dairy farmers are in the conversation saying that pressure on prices is likely to mean their means to raise bobby calves rather than slaughter them will be diminished (i.e. more will be killed as babies). It's hard to know how much weight to give this argument because the practice of killing bobby calves has been around for a very very long time. It might be worth investigating however,
It's been a while since i've posted... but hello to anyone who remembers me...
I am writing an article for a WA newspaper on the 'milk price wars'. Yes, I know it's been done to death, we have all heard about the implications for the consumer and of course for the farmer, but does the farmer actually produce the milk out of his own udders?... we all know he very well does not. There has been no focus on the implications for the animals. I want to put the focus on the cows. I am going to be interviewing as many people as possible, hopefully people in high places, and just wondered if anyone here has any info or background on the issue, or just anything that they want to share?? I have already read the thread on this topic.
Thanks heaps
Remember you? How could I forget someone who was/is like a sister to me? WElcome back babe missed you!
Thank you guys and Em i'm pretty sure i will be in touch
mwahahahhahahahahaha *twiddles fingers evilly*
just so ya know don't bother contacting me through facebook, it's been hacked and I'm back at home so I don't have access to it. *sigh*
Do you think theres anyone from Animals Aus who would be interested in commenting? 
