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Dairy Cow Facts

Dairy Cow Treatment

Many people are concerned about dairy cow treatment. The dairy industry has a number of animal care initiatives and farming practices in place to ensure humanely treated dairy cows, protecting them from abuse and mistreatment. One is the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) program that is a nationwide, verifiable animal well-being program that demonstrates dairy farmers are committed to the highest quality standards. Dairy farmers with farms large or small prioritize cow care more than anything else –treating dairy cows humanely is basic dairy farm protocol. Farmers across the U.S. work hard to provide a comfortable, gentle and consistent experience for their cows during milking, feeding and resting. Dairy farmers know that quality milk begins with providing cows with great care.

Animal Cruelty Facts

Are cows on large dairy farms mistreated? 

Dairy cow treatment is one of the most important aspects of dairy farmers’ jobs. Dairy farmers’ commitment to producing high-quality milk begins with taking good care of their cows – making sure they’re comfortable, healthy and well-fed. They provide them with a nutritious diet, good veterinary care and comfortable healthy living conditions. The cows’ livelihood is always the farmer and his worker’s top priority, and farmers do not tolerate cow cruelty or dairy cow abuse on their farms.

Preventing Dairy Cow Abuse

Are dairy cows overworked? 

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Dairy cows are only milked for about five minutes at a time, two or three times a day. The rest of the time, they can eat, drink water and lie down on a comfortable area.

Cow Milking Machines

Do the milking machines hurt the cows?

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The reason dairy farms use milking machines because they are faster, cleaner and better for the cow’s health and milk productivity. Milking machines also contribute to a more consistent, more comfortable milking experience for the cows. Milking machines use a gentle vacuum, that is pulsed with alternate pressure of milking and rest by the rubber inflation inside the machine. The rhythmic pattern contributes to the dairy cow’s health and milk productivity.

Who Owns Dairy Farms

Aren’t most dairy farms large farms?

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Ninety-seven percent of milk is produced on family-owned farms that have often been passed down through generations. The individuals who own these dairy farms and their workers care about the health, wellbeing and comfort of the cows and work hard to care for them. Humane animal care is one of the most important aspects of dairy farming because good cow care leads to the production of high-quality milk.

 

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