It is in the Somme area, near Abbeville, that the "farm of a thousand cows" sprang up, from the idea of a rich French entrepreneur. "Inspired" by the huge US and German farms, he decided to develop the concept in France. The premises are intended for the exploitation of 1000 "dairy" cows and 750 calves and heifers, although today it has received authorization "only" for 500 cows. Here, the animals will not know the meadow and will go into boxes in the rotating milking parlour three times a day. For the two farmers who visited this factory farm, the infrastructure is unsuitable and causes multiple injuries to the cattle. An operation of this size can in no way guarantee them at the very minimum a life of well-being. For One Voice, who is already denouncing their suffering in traditional farms, this objectification of animals is intolerable !
"In some small farms where there are milking robots, the cows are going to be hooked up alone, when they want to. While there, at the "farm of 1000 cows", no it is not possible. It's slavery for cows." (From a retired breeder - read the full story here)
In connection with the farm, there is a methanizer that will convert the excrement of cows into energy, resold with a large profit to EDF. A profit such as, for some, it largely exceeds the dairy production objective of the farm. But this process is not environmentally friendly despite the announcement of the effects. Slurry will be supplemented by other green waste. The residues (digests) will be so rich in nitrogen that they will be spread onto the soil like a fertilizer, this will pollute the water and the air. It is they who are responsible for the proliferation of green algae in Brittany where methanisation is largely associated with pig farming ... One Voice supports the Novissen association which brings together residents opposed to this "cow factory" and who will be the first collateral victims.
"The plough that picks up the dung passes near their hooves; it's made of rubber apparently. But there is one cow who had lost her balance. This cow, was left lying between the concrete and the back of the plough. And now she is useless... After this she was limping ... You sould have seen her hooves, they were all shattered. There was blood. There were many who had it on their feet. And that one, I saw her lose her balance with the plough." (From a retired breeder - read the full story here)
Producing milk on an industrial scale also means producing calves at the same rate. Do not forget that if cows produce milk, it is to feed their little ones! In this Kafkaesque environment, they will be torn from their mothers whose heart-breaking appeals will be ignored. Males will be slaughtered after being transported and sold in terrible conditions (see our survey of "cattle markets"). The females will be fattened to become producers - if they survive. All this to satisfy humans who want to continue to consume milk even into adulthood, despite the risks to their health and the controversy of this type of consumption... Is this production still possible if all are agreed to finally open their eyes on the mental and emotional life of cows?
"How do you want them to be, these animals? Cows, we called them and they came back immediately, they were caressed. An animal ...that it is ... Have you seen a dog? Well, it's like a dog. An animal, who comes to lick you. They followed me in the pasture. They followed me as a person following another person." (From a retired breeder - read the full story here)
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Annie13 | Sunday 26 June 2016
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