The controversial tale of cattle tail-docking
We subscribe to several dairy publications to provide us with information to help us run our farm better. One of those publications is Hoard's Dairyman, started in 1885. In the August 10, 2004 issue, there was a brief announcement from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) regarding tail-docking of cattle. For those of you who don't know what tail docking is, it is the removal of all but 6-8 inches of the animal's tail. This is routinely done to cows on many farms.
This practice was touted as a way to keep animals cleaner, and to reduce the risk of mastitis infection in cows. Farmers jumped on the bandwagon and many started removing the tails of their cows. I was not impressed with the idea, and since transitioning to organic production 7 years ago, I am even less supportive of doing this to cows. I felt all along that it was mainly something farmers did for their comfort, not for the benefit of the cows. For example, in the new parlors on the large commercial dairies the cows are milked from behind, not from the side. In these parlors there are troughs behind the cows to catch the manure and urine. By removing most of the cow's tail, it keeps the tail from swishing in the trough and keeps everything cleaner for the person doing the milking.
I must say I was overjoyed when the AVMA's Animal Welfare Committee stated it's position on tail docking by releasing the statement, "The AVMA opposes routine tail docking of cattle. Current scientific literature indicates that routine tail docking provides no benefit to the animal and that tail docking can lead to distress during fly season." It made me very sad to drive by a farm in the summertime and see cows outside with no tails to swish the flies off their backs. I applaud the committee for taking the stance they did on this issue.
--Jonathan, Howmars Farm
Franklin, Vermont
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Posted by Blogger Chris at August 19, 2004 02:26 PM
How can an unhappy cow, beset by biting flies, produce milk that could possibly be beneficial to my family and I? Until consumers show that they care about issues like this via their pocketbook choices, farmers won't care. Simple.
My husband just shared that Mahatma Ghandi stopped drinking dairy milk after visiting a dairy and seeing blood being 'milked' from the dry udders of a cow by a milking machine. He got some goats and hand milked them!!!
Jonathan Gates reports from Howmars Farm in Franklin, Vermont.