Testimonials: The farm of 1000 cows visited by farmers!

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)