#lifecycle

Are cows living in crowded conditions?

A lot of people may see a big group of cows and think that they’re being overcrowded- but are they. Cows are social animals and need friends to live. Researchers have found that cows develop lifelong friendships and I’ve been able to witness that firsthand seeing them with the same friends. Cows are herd animals and naturally live in large groups. It’s all about Cowmunity

When given a choice, cows will voluntarily crowd themselves in small areas. They feel safer in a group and won’t stray far from the main herd. You will rarely see a cow off by herself- though there is a loner in every group.

In the 1800s, pioneers and settlers traveling the midwestern plains of North America seen the wild bison herds. Some researchers have concluded that the bison population reached 300 million animals. For perspective, there is only 9 million dairy cows in the US today. The strange thing is that even though the bison had all the freedom in the world, they still chose to live in tight knit communities called herds.

I suppose people aren’t much different. When flying into LAX- Los Angeles you can see houses for miles around. People are also social beings and live in tight knit communities.

Doing rough math, people may be more crowded. Consider this- a New York City block can have over 1,400 people in a 100,000 sq. ft. Area. A dairy farm of 1,400 cows may be situated on 10 acres of ground= 430,000 sq. ft. meaning that cows have much more space than some people. And there are cities that are more crowded than NYC.

Cows today are living very comfortably on farms. The goal is to make sure that they’re comfortable and have the least amount of stress possible.

Do cows like to be Milked?

If you could ask a cow if she enjoys being milked she would probably tell you yes. The milk barn is quite comfortable. There is shade and cooling fans to keep her cool. Usually, there is some music to keep her relaxed. The whole process only takes about 12 minutes. A cow will spend only 24-36 minutes a day “working.” The rest of the time she is eating, relaxing, and socializing with friends. Truly an enviable lifestyle.

Cows are creatures of habit and love the routine . If you’re late to milking they will be waiting by the gate tapping their hooves. If you’re really late they will be very annoyed. It’s uncanny that they can know the exact hour of milking time. When you open the gate, it’s a great sight seeing them all walking and moooving to the milk barn

The milking process includes washing her teats and stimulating them. By stimulating her teats before milking, it allows a hormonal release of oxytocin that encourages her to let down her milk. Oxytocin is a feel good hormone that produces antidepressant-like effects. It’s got to be a great release.

Over the past few decades, U.S. dairy farmers have been able to reduce their environmental impact by 60%; and dairy farmers continue to strive to be leaders in sustainability. Even while doubling milk production, the number of dairy cows in the U.S. has decreased from 25.6 million cows in 1950 to only 9.4 million today. Doing more with less is a philosophy that has enabled dairy farmers to reduce their environmental “hoofprint” and drive real change in the industry and environment.

Cows are part of the world’s ecological system and dairy farmers have harnessed this biological advantage. The “waste” that cows create is necessary for good soil health. Healthy soil holds more water and provides a richer life for the microbial life of the soil. The manure goes back onto the soil to regrow the grass and other crops that cows eat. The planet needs cows as much as cows need the planet

It should be noted that the methane cows emit stays in the atmosphere for about six years; this means in every year that new methane molecules are added, they’re offset by the expiration of molecules produced in years prior. As long as the number of cows doesn’t drastically increase, this cycle has a net-neutral effect. By contrast, emissions from cars last in the atmosphere over 100 years. So, every idling car is adding emissions that will last for a century.

Photo of a leafhopper experiencing a hidden danger. Photo taken on a tree in my backyard. October 2019.

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