A common theme of the animal rights movement is to promote that today’s farms are full of dirty dark secrets. I grew up on a dairy farm, live on a farm and have had the privilege of being on hundreds of dairy farms around the world – including some around Plain City, Ohio. The crap you see on the heinous videos from animal rights activists, like the one being released by Mercy For Animals about a Ohio dairy farm, is not what’s happening on every farm. Based upon personal experience on the dairy side of agriculture, I’d like to offer a bit of a perspective check on the “dark secrets of farms.”
- Calf Care: Dairy calves are given colostrum in their first couple of hours of life to be sure they’re healthy and because farmers want to give them the best care possible. Calves are not thrown around, nor are they mistreated – farm families often care for calves the same way they do for their children (and sometimes better). Calves are typically given their own home to thrive in and provided a formulated diet, along with a vaccination program comparable to your child’s. Some groups would lead you to believe that it’s cruel to take a baby calf from the mother, but this is done for the health of both the calf and the cow. If you’ve ever breast-fed, you don’t need a lot of explanation about what a 100 pound calf can do to mammary tissue.
- Healthcare Handling: Cattle are typically put in “chutes” for treatments to keep both the animals and humans safe. This does NOT involve beating an animal, poking it with metal or prodding it cruelly. Nose rings are sometimes used to calm an animal who’s throwing its head around (similar to arm restraints for a human). For example, if I see a cow is going to hurt herself in a chute, I try to restrain her with the halter first to calm her down and then, if necessary, will use the nose ring (which does not puncture the nasal tissue). It’s not a torture device, it’s a safety device. If a cow doesn’t like a needle, hoof trimmer, veterinarian examination or other necessary practices to keep her healthy, we still have an obligation to keep her as calm as possible. That’s not always pretty with 1500+ pounds, but people who have worked with animals their whole life have special techniques (mine is talking to the animal a lot, if you can imagine!).
- Milking Parlor: The parlor is where cows come to do their business – give milk – and they are usually happy to do so. Today’s technology means milking equipment is streamlined to cow comfort and milking efficiency (which typically happens 2-3x daily). Cows are habit driven; once in a routine, will come to be milked in roughly the same groupings, but it can be a bit of a challenge to get a new one into the right habits. However, I’ve yet to meet a dairy farmer who uses a pitchfork to stick a cow in the parlor. If cows are beaten, they don’t release their milk, which kind of defeats the purpose of the parlor, don’t you think?
- Drugs: Cows are NOT pumped full of drugs. ALL of the milk you buy from the grocery store is antibiotic free; it’s been tested about 9 times between the cow and you. Any label that suggests that some milk has in it antibiotics is false (if it’s sold as Grade A). And all milk has hormones – it always has. Udders are not pumped full of hormones nor are calves fed hormones. Hormones exist in living things. Check estrogen levels in soybeans and cabbage if you don’t believe me.
- Nutrition: Did you have a dietitian plan out your last meal to meet your energy needs, adapt your meal plan to changing seasons, check your manure and then look at your body condition? Cows do. Professional nutritionists evaluate all the components of a cow’s diet, test the available ingredients and provide a complete “ration” (think casserole with all the best ingredients) to help dairy farmers keep their cows healthy. Most cattle eat better than I do!
Above all, please know these videos represent a few bad actors and are an insult to those of us who have worked with cattle since we were old enough to be in the barn. Are all babysitters or teachers bad because there are a few who abuse children? No – and the same holds true for farmers. Regardless of whether the video was staged or real, the individuals who treated animals with such disrespect should have been reported to the authorities immediately. Agriculture has a responsibility to be very clear that such behavior is unacceptable.
Dairy farmers don’t milk cows because they plan to get rich; they do it out of love for the cows and the dairy business. It’s a tough job that requires 365 days of work – and the bottom has fallen out of the milk market in the last couple of years. They’re not asking for your sympathy – they just want you know that animal rights videos don’t represent how much their family cares. And, speaking as a dairy person, seeing such cruelty makes me want to cry and keeps me up at night. Thankfully, I can go out to our barn and down the road to where our cows are milked to see animals that are treated with respect. If you haven’t had the same opportunity , I’d encourage you to visit a modern day farm – and talk with the family working to care for the animals.
May 26, 2010 at 12:33 am
Michele: Thank you for a representation that is a mirror of my own experience. Countless and sleepless hours are spent in bad weather and sometimes life-threatening situations ensuring that the animals in our care are healthy and safe. The rewards of raising animals can be hard to understand unless you grew up with it – because they are not always financial. 🙂
May 26, 2010 at 8:42 am
Absolutely. People milk cows because it’s in their heart and their blood. I still miss being able to go out to the barn to milk – and it’s not because I’m bored. Keep telling your story – it does make an impact.
May 27, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Total agreement here also. Grew up on a chicken farm. They were MEAN to us kids, but never did we treat them badly – just ran FAST!
Some of our kids in this country should be treated so well!!!!!
May 26, 2010 at 12:54 am
[…] Dark Secrets of Farms « Gate to Plate Blog by Michele Payn-Knoper […]
May 26, 2010 at 7:34 am
Thanks for posting this, Michele. I am a dairy farmer and have never witnessed anything even remotely close to this abuse. It is incredibly senseless. When animals are treated well, they are not afraid of humans, they do not resist the normal flow of their routine. This is especially true in the dairy business where our cows are handled so often in order to be milked. Our calves do not usually “spook” but often come up to you. Many times I have led a calf that has gotten loose from her pen by leading her back with my hand. The wonderful dairy folks I know treat their animals with their due respect. If the pictures are valid from this particular farm, these mistreatments deserve punishment.
May 26, 2010 at 8:40 am
Glad to, LuAnn. It just breaks my heart to see families like yours misrepresented. You paint a clear picture of how dairy cattle normally act; they respond to positive (and negative) stimuli. Whether the pictures are from the farm or staged, the people involve definitely deserve punishment.
May 27, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Why do you keep saying things like “actors” and “staged”? This is not a stunt, this is real mistreatment of God’s creatures and if you truly love animals as you claim, you would be just as outraged as the rest of us.
May 27, 2010 at 3:08 pm
Oops, I didn’t realize that there was a “LuAnn” on here other than me. I am not LuAnn Troxel. Sorry for any confusion.
May 27, 2010 at 8:42 pm
The other Luann (not Troxel) – I suspect dairy farmers were the MOST outraged when viewing the animal. Personally, I could feel the pain of the calf and cow because of familiarity with the animals.
Until the investigation is complete to determine if these were everyday acts or prompted by others, I’m not making any claims – that would be irresponsible. Many who are familiar with dairy practices question if it was staged – not because they’re being defensive, but because the violence was so offensive.
As I’ve said previously, an individual who committed such cruel acts deserves to be punished – and he now has been charged.
May 26, 2010 at 8:00 am
Thanks for posting this. Watching the video made my heart ache and the tears flowed freely. In my career I have worked with countless dairy producers and their staff. The farms have ranged from 10 cows to 4000 cows. I have never witnessed treatment like this on any of those dairies. You are absolutely correct that sometimes the job we do is not pretty, but we do what we do FOR the animal, not TO the animal.
I encourage anyone with questions about how dairy cows and calves are cared for to contact their county Farm Bureau for a referrel to a local dairy producer.
May 26, 2010 at 8:38 am
Venessa, I completely understand – I had to shut the video off three times because it made me sick. The individuals displaying such awful acts of cruelty should be punished, whether it was staged or not. You raise a good point that actions on a farm are for an animal – but not to the animal. I think that’s hard for people to understand who don’t work with cattle.
May 26, 2010 at 8:26 am
Thank You Michele! Your post was right on. My husband is a Dairy Farmer & he has a saying “Every cow in this barn is a lady, please treat her as such”. We live by that & the dairy folks I know do too. We joke about how he takes better care of the girls then himself…but it’s true.Thanks again for the great post, it really touched close to home.
May 26, 2010 at 8:36 am
Hi Luv, thanks for sharing. Many dairy farm families would attest that their cows are frequently treated better than their families. It’s not uncommon for family activities to wait on the cows on dairy farms – and problems always seem to happen when there’s a special event. Please tell your husband to keep up the great work.
May 26, 2010 at 9:17 am
Great post! Farmers care about their animals and about providing quality products to their family and yours. It’s as simple as that! Keep up the good work.
May 26, 2010 at 9:39 am
Thank you for spreading the true story I am going to refer anyone that may need the information to this!
May 26, 2010 at 9:46 am
[…] interview with Joe Cornely, Ohio Farm Bureau. Michele Payn-Knoper has also offered some perspective on her blog. 0 Posted by Chuck May 26, 2010 8:44 amCategories: Animal Activists, Dairy, […]
May 26, 2010 at 10:05 am
[…] producer and agriculture advocate Michele Payne-Knoper wrote about the video on her blog. “The crap you see on the heinous videos from animal rights activists, like the one being […]
May 26, 2010 at 10:34 am
i took this video in the spirit which ( i hope) it was offered. to show that this heinous cruelty DOES exist, on SOME farms. i certainly don’t believe that it’s common practice, but even if it occurs on just one farm, it must be stopped.
my hat is off to the ethical caring farmer that spends his/her life caring for their animals and providing the best care possible.
May 26, 2010 at 10:43 am
Thank you, Jayedee for your comments. I agree that any cruelty like this must be stopped and the involved individuals should be punished. After being on hundreds of farms and knowing thousands of farmers, I simply don’t see this behavior happening – for several of the reasons I listed. Similar to condemning all teachers because a few choose to abuse children, farmers are being judged unfairly by sensationalized pieces. However, more of our society gets into schools & knows teachers than those who visit farms to get to know farm families. That disconnect makes it easy for people to believe this cruelty is commonplace when it simply isn’t.
May 26, 2010 at 10:44 am
Jayedee, I have seen NO one defending this video, cruelty to animals, whether farm or pets, should be stopped. Ohio voters overwhelming approved establishing a livestock care standards board to address these issues last November.
As far as the spirit the video was offered in, I have NO idea… But it is hard for me to imagine the motivation of even the person running the camera to watch all of that take place and apparently do nothing
May 26, 2010 at 10:56 am
This is a thoughtful response, Michelle. I wonder: when Toyota has a massive recall, the car industry doesn’t get criticized as a whole, just Toyota. Is the entire dairy industry besmirched by these bad actor exposes? If so, might it be because dairy is dairy, whereas cars are not cars because there are genuine and also image-based differences between different car brands and models? Could one solution be to look at milk the way I have with beef, pork, chicken, etc.- that there would be natural flavor differences by farm or growing region/co-op, and that this is something to celebrate? Bring differentiation to milk, butter, etc. the way it’s been done with further milk-based processed products like cheese and ice cream.
What about at the same time putting value back into male calves through pastured veal and/or beef programs? There are several beef brands that market themselves as a single breed. But they never admit that it’s Holstein. I’ve had grain-fed and grass-fed Holstein; done right, it can be fabulous. Why not market it as what it is?
May 26, 2010 at 11:10 am
Michelle,
I really like your comments and am in 100% agreement as I also grew up on a farm. I realize the internet is a very powerful tool but only to those who look at it and find the appropriate websites. If we as dairy farmers can come up with “secret videos” truly depicting what happens on the vast majority of america’s dairy farms and get it shown to the public like the animal rights activists and try to get some of your exact same comments added to the videos I think we could have a chance at keeping these blemishes to a minimum in the publics eye.
I should also hope that more states than just the state of Wisconsin does dairy breakfasts or brunches, allowing the public to come out to quality farms and see what goes on and ask their questions to people who really care.
May 27, 2010 at 8:13 pm
Dusty, thanks for the reminder that farmers need to be concerned with talking about what happens on their farmer on a daily basis in a variety of ways – not just when it’s reactive. Proactive approaches would help us all!
May 26, 2010 at 11:57 am
Very well thought out response with a lot of pertinent information people don’t think about. Thanks for posting it!
May 26, 2010 at 5:35 pm
I grew up with a best friend who lived on a dairy farm. They had a farm dog, but he was more for show or emergencies, the cows came up to the barn for milking as soon as they heard the gate open.
Not only that, but they were so calm that at the age of 10 we were running through the fields of pastured cows. Some became so calm that we could sit on them as they lay in the grass.
The babies were treated very well, and generally housed in groups of at least two so that they were never alone.
There was a prod kept on the farm for emergencies but I never saw it used. Pitchforks were used to pitch waste and spread straw… and occasionally to poke your workmate in the rear when he/she bent over. But never the cows.
May 26, 2010 at 5:36 pm
The real work has only begun for the activists in Ohio and thru out our great country. Wayne Pacelle has stated that he and the others “Play to WIN.” This only proves that they mean what they say. None of us were in California during Prop 2 so we did not know what their world was all about during that time. We do NOW and it is only the tip of the iceberg. Part of me would really like to stoop to their level of play but two wrongs do not make it right. So we must stick together and fight them with every fiber of our being. Because they are doing the same with us. Rather this was staged or not, those people need to be thrown in jail and never allowed to see the light of day. Probably will not happen, but they should be punished for what they have done.
May 27, 2010 at 8:15 pm
It was especially interesting that Mr. Pacelle was in Ohio the day the video was released. And I agree that the individual who did those acts should be punished – whether they’re an actor, a farmer or a videographer.
May 26, 2010 at 7:16 pm
Michelle,
I liked your perspective on the matter. I saw the video and obviously was completely flabbergasted. I think you and the other posters on your website might want to consider separating your wholesome selves with those people who chose not to be. I would love to believe that every cow is treated like a lady, and the calves are not beaten, and horns are not burned off, but that is not true. These MFA videos are real, and not doctored, they are filmed within a month of being at these “farms”. There is no way that at a farm that has 4000+ cows that every cow is going to be given special treatment from one caring farmer as in your case where the calves are treated like children. Why is that? It is entirely because of money, the methods shown in the video are a direct result of the farmer being taken out of the process, these are factories that create milk, or chickens, or pigs. Factories designed for profit at the cows and any other animals expense. I would gladly buy milk from a farm down the street that cares for their cows like you have described but I live in a large metropolitan city and that is not possible, and so for now as I have for the last 6 months will continue not to buy dairy.
You clearly care about the cows and about the product and we need people like you. This not the first video from the first activists this is happening all over the place and a video is being release every month or so. The way to stop the slander, to stop the hatred toward dairy, is to separate yourselves from the factory and give the people the farm. I will pay extra for your farms milk or any farm that treats there cows nicely.
Happy Flying
Eamonn Powers
May 27, 2010 at 3:21 pm
@Eamonn: I am not trying to be disrespectful, but living in a city, have you actually ever visited a so called factory farm? These places are generally owned by families, but carry the term “factory” based on numbers alone. Did you know that larger farms may make a larger gross profit but often end up putting the bulk of it into calf and cow care to ensure their safety, comfort and health? That these cows are routinely handled gently, petted and talked to just as someone who has 10 cows is able to do? They are also bedded down with soft sand that is washed often and provides optimum comfort. They also have air conditioners, and heaters to keep them nice and comfy :0)Large farm operations take just as much pride in having their animals in the best shape possible. My husband says if they aren’t eating or laying down resting something is wrong. And then he FIXES it asap. We have 1500 healthy, happy cows that continue to produce top grade milk. You can happily buy dairy at your local super market knowing that if it is grade A, your suppliers have produced it with pride and dignity.
May 27, 2010 at 5:09 pm
I don’t know what’s worse, the AR nuts who try to make the world think that everyone involved in agriculture is a sadistic monster… or the advocates for the other side, who try to make it sound like every animal lives on a cloud of perfect comfort, with the farmers there to cater to their every whim.
Soft sand? More similar to gravel, although I’ve always known farmers who bedded with straw – it biodegrades quickly, and requires no special handling when disposing of manure.
Air conditioners? Heaters? I live in Ontario and I can tell you that between here and Alberta I have NEVER witnessed a barn with an HVAC unit – aside from heating elements used to prevent pipes from freezing when you get really far north (I vacation in an area of Saskatchewan that gets so cold gas will actually freeze in your fuel lines… as you’re driving).
The details may not matter to the big picture, but when one side lies and exaggerates to forward their own opinion, it is not ok for the other side to respond in kind.
And if I hear another comment about how farm animals are fed/treated/cared for better than the farmer’s own family I might lose it. Don’t be ridiculous… in fact, most farmers I know have a greater sense of family than the average individual if for no other reason than farming tends to be a family operation, depending on each individual to pull their own weight so that the machine runs smoothly. They are a close knit bunch generally, and to suggest that their animals are treated better than their family is an insult.
May 27, 2010 at 5:42 pm
Hamilton,
I can assure you I am not exaggerating anything here. The cows are kept at a warm 55 degrees in the winter- not warm by human standards but when it’s -30 degrees outside it makes a difference. As for the sand, it is ran through a sifter ensuring that it is fine. Also it is more economic than straw as it is rewashed and used again. The water is also recycled through our dairy. Sand does not mold and cause respiratory issues as straw can. Sand does not harbour harmful bacterias that can live in straw and once washed, is so clean you kids could play in it. No exageration here, as my kids do. We’ve had it tested for safety’s sake and it is cleaner than a beach. Every dairy I have ever visited employs these types of methods, so I guess we kind of cancel each other out. There is no reason to defend the moster who was video taped in Ohio, but it really sucks that it has all of the caring farmers scrambling to let the world know that we are not evil. We care and wish the laws could prosecute him further than they will.
May 26, 2010 at 9:29 pm
This video is not targeting family farms that care about their animals. It is exposing FACTORY FARMING, the most cruel and inhumane way of treating farm animals. Why do you put down people trying to help abused animals? If you truly are an animal lover, why would you speak with disdain about animal rights activists. Just like you state certain individual teachers or child-care workers who abuse children shouldn’t taint the opinion of all teachers or child-care workers, then you shouldn’t judge or put down all animal rights activists due to individuals who may be too zealous. I live in Northern California, where the cows are allowed to roam free on the most beautiful mountain sides, some with ocean views! When I hike in the hills, the cows are content and friendly and not scared of humans. Unfortunately, the practice of Factory Farming leaves gentle animals confined and jailed for their whole lives. Not all animals are as lucky as those that are loved by local farmers. Just take a drive down I-5 in central California, and you will see miles and miles of cows confined in their own excrement up to their knees. Human beings need to have a voice for those animals that are abused and tortured – they can’t speak up and defend themselves. Laws, fines and punishments need to be strictly enforced for all of the unethical treatment of the beautiful animals that give the biggest sacrifice for human consumption. Yes, humans will always be omnivores, and eating meat and consuming dairy will never stop – but animals should be protected and defended against pain and torture happening nationwide on Factory Farms. We will never be a civilized society, if we look away and say that this only happens in isolated incidents. Even one case of this kind of sick torture should not be tolerated. I am in complete support of family farms that treat their animals well. I am fully against pretending that abuse of farm animals doesn’t exist. Lets all work together in changing laws and getting new laws passed in protection of farm animals. Thanks for your helpful information. Best regards to you and all animal lovers.
May 27, 2010 at 3:26 pm
Hi Bailey!
If cows are up to their knees in exciment than you should report it to the local sherriff’s dept. and USDA this is unacceptable and completely aviodable. Please don’t judge all large farm operations based on that though- please read my comment above to Eamonn.
May 26, 2010 at 9:45 pm
get it girl. excellent article. its so disappointing that this had to happen so close to home. I hate how one incident can make many people not from nonrural areas think this is how ALL dairy farms operate
May 26, 2010 at 10:44 pm
I was raised on a farm. We treated our animals like family. If we knew of a farmer who mistreated his animals my dad had the back bone to confront the farmer about the abused. It is true that most farmers have respect and even affection for the livestock they raise. However, that being said, it does not diminish the terrible treatment the poor animals on the Conklin farm had to endure. I hope they hit those nasty people hard with whatever the law will allow. It sickens me to think of what the cattle had to suffer at the hands of their torturers. I would think you would be outraged. I think farmers should stand up and protest their fellow farmers who behave this way. Maybe then the industry would have the credibility you seem to seek.
May 27, 2010 at 2:32 am
Did you not notice that one of the people abusing cows in the film was Gary Conklin, the owner of the farm? An arrest was made yesterday of one of the workers, and more are sure to follow. This video was not staged. Nowhere have I read, either, that MFA is accusing all dairy farms or farmers of behaving this way.
May 27, 2010 at 9:51 am
Can you cite a source for that serious charge? I haven’t found confirmation anywhere that the owner of the farm was in the film.
May 27, 2010 at 11:46 am
The source is the video. Have you watched it?
May 27, 2010 at 2:45 pm
About 5 seconds, and I don’t plan to watch any more. I’ve seen several news stories that include a photo of Billy Joe Gregg, who was apparently the main abuser shown in the video and who was arrested yesterday. Is that who you’re talking about? A news story I read this morning said that Conklin wasn’t even at the farm for most of the the time during which the video footage was taken.
May 27, 2010 at 4:36 pm
A portion of the video identifies the person being taped at that moment as the farm’s owner. I don’t know the guy so I can’t attest to whether it’s really him or not, but the people who made the video identified the man in a certain segment as the farm’s owner (Gary Conklin).
That segment of the abuse is “mild” when compared to that which other people engaged in but it shpws him kicking a cow that doesn’t appear to be able to get up in the head.
May 27, 2010 at 8:27 am
Are people really so dumb that they would conclude after seeing this video that the sadistic torture of animals is the norm on farms? Have you seen or heard people reaching that conclusion since the video was posted?
May 27, 2010 at 11:41 am
I don’t think people think it’s the norm, but, unfortunately, a few bad apples ruin the whole bunch. Most people do not want to think they are buying the products of abused animals, so how can the average consumer be sure they’re not purchasing such products? Ultimately, by not buying them at all or asking the government to “do something.”
It’s not enough for the industry to say “OK, there are a few bad places but most of us are good.” If animal farm operations don’t want a bunch of government regulation coming down on them they need to clean up their own industry to meet the demands of the consumer who they ultimately hope will purchase their products. It doesn’t matter if you don’t think the average consumer has any experience with a 1500 pound cow because the average consumer doesn’t want to think their milk and cheese came from an animal that was prodded viciously with a pitchfork or beat with a crowbar (and I know you know this type of “handling” isn’t required to get a cow to do what you want it to).
Instead, these atrocious videos keep surfacing and the internet allows them to spread quickly. And consumers are tired of seeing the animal abuse. The industry needs to clean up its bad apples. In at least some of the videos I have seen, it’s apparent that frustrated and/or sociopathic people are taking their frustrations out on helpless beings. If you’re going to run a business, you need to be on the lookout for these types of people becoming your employees. Yes, it’s hard – it’s part of running a business…
The problem some people have with farmers is that these video surface and the industry goes into attack mode to discredit “these loony animal rights activists.” Why doesn’t the industry put that energy into fixing the problems in the industry? The large majority of consumers are animal welfarists, at least to a certain extent – they don’t want the suppliers beating their animals. Is that an unrealistic expectation?
May 27, 2010 at 9:36 am
[…] 27, 2010 Regarding the link I shared yesterday to a post from a dairy farmer which was itself a response to the horrible abuse […]
May 27, 2010 at 9:53 am
For those of us that live in Indiana and viewed the video of the Conklin farm animal abuse, would you please follow-up with any news of what happens to those responsible for the abuse of those cows and calves? Surely they would not be allowed to continue working with those animals. What can be done to stop this abuse?
May 27, 2010 at 11:22 am
I’m not sure why you refer to the sadistic people in the video as “actors” or it was “staged”. What proof do you have to even say that?
I completely agree that some bad apples shouldn’t affect how people view dairy farming and have no doubt that there are plenty of farmers who actually care about their animals. But by claiming these may be actors, all your doing is sowing seeds of doubt that the people of that “farm” aren’t sadistic individuals when you really have no proof any of it was staged. That’s irresponsible.
May 27, 2010 at 8:39 pm
Until the investigation is complete to determine if these were everyday acts or prompted by others, I’m not making any claims – that would be irresponsible. Many who are familiar with dairy practices question if it was staged – not because they’re being defensive, but because the violence was so offensive.
As I’ve said previously, an individual who committed such cruel acts deserves to be punished – and he now has been charged.
May 27, 2010 at 9:34 pm
You’ve said a couple of times now that you aren’t making any claims – that would be irresponsible. But – that’s exactly what you’re doing in your insinuations that the video was staged and calling the abusers “bad actors”. It’s quite clear that you feel this video is fake.
May 28, 2010 at 9:59 am
The guy is in jail. Are they staging that too?
So because the violence was so offensive it must have been staged? Right, because humans are incapable of such sadistic behavior toward other living beings. I suggest you read the news more often.
May 27, 2010 at 12:16 pm
This is a wonderful message about what really happens on farms. I grew up on a farm and we were always concerned about our animals and providing the very best care. In my opinion, this is the case for MOST farmers…we all care about our animals!!!! Thanks for putting the truth out there. It is truly amazing that anyone would imagine that a farmer would treat animals badly…not just because of cruelty, but it doesn’t even make economic sense to do so. Farming requires DAILY dedication to doing what is right for the livestock! And, most farmers get a great deal of satisfaction from taking good care of their animals. This whole issue of animal cruelty in agriculture is simply part of a huge effort to remove animals from humans and turn this country into a vegan nation! Check out http://www.bewareanimalradicals.com
May 27, 2010 at 12:26 pm
I have to make a point here… Where on earth did anyone get the idea that this film was about factory farming?
This film was about a single group of sick, twisted individuals.
The majority of the abuse takes place in such a gratuitous fashion that it has nothing to do with the type of farming – as it has nothing to do with farming practices.
What I mean is that if you take a look at other expose videos (the videos in Food Inc are a great example) that are condemning FF, the abuse happens, to some degree, *due to* the FF practices.
Animals are abused in the name of convenience. In an effort to increase efficiency it is decided that it is easier to carry 4 chickens in each hand if they are grabbed by the legs. It’s faster to get cows through the chute by beating them. Moving piglets is faster by throwing them, etc.
This video was not like that at all. In each of the videos I describe above, the abuse is performed while trying to achieve a task.
A good example is when the man is standing behind the cow, punching her in the udder. Or when they are abusing cows who are already in place within the parlour.
This particular video seems like a clear cut case of animal abuse. Since the owner has not been identified that I’m aware of, I will concede that this behaviour is much less likely to occur on a smaller farm simply because one can assume that the larger the farm the easier it is to get away with cruel behaviour. However, several small farms that I know (200-300 head) have a single individual who comes in and runs the entire milking procedure without supervision, so yes this could have happened on a small farm also.
My point is, this is not a FF expose – it is, however, a great piece of evidence showing a few individuals deserving of great punishment for taking out their own frustrations on innocent animals.
May 27, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Hamilton, I’ll agree that any individual who is cruel to animals in such a sadistic nature deserves to be jailed. However, I’d urge you to familiarize yourself with common practices on a farm – any size farm – because some are simply not common sense.
Case in point, beating a cow on her udder. Somatic Cell Counts (SCC) increase when mammary tissue is damaged and the incident of mastitis increases with any udder injury. Thus, the argument that any farm – large or small – goes around punching their cows in the udder, doesn’t fly. First off, people working with animals typically treat them with respect. Secondly, and if you buy into the very insulting “factory farm” philosophy, this should resonate – farmers lose money when a cow has mastitis and depending on the situation, a higher SCC can reduce premium. See https://causematters.wordpress.com/2010/03/02/faces-of-factory-farms/ for my thoughts on the FF term.
I’ll agree that the video clearly demonstrates an individual who performed terrible acts of cruelty.
May 27, 2010 at 11:46 pm
You didn’t read my post.
My point was that beating the cow in such a manner was gratuitous violence, as opposed to when people oppose the use of an electric prod to move cattle down a run – this is an abusive method to reach a goal. There is no goal in beating a cow in the fashion shown in the video.
That was my point.
In no way did I suggest that these actions and factory farms were connected. My point was that they are NOT. Please re-read my original post.
May 27, 2010 at 1:06 pm
[…] Dark Secrets of Farms « Gate to Plate Blog by Michele Payn-Knoper […]
May 27, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Michele, thank you for posting this, a great commentary that addresses many common practices on farm that are misunderstood. I am in no way advocating animal mistreatment, but i think in general dairies are misunderstood, especially large operations. Over the years family dairies have been forced to grow larger to keep up with growing populations and increased demand, amidst shrinking(if not negative) profit margins. 60 years ago my grandfather immigrated to the US and began dairying in southern California, back then he milked fewer than 50 cows and could make a profit but at the expense of doing all the work himself, milking feeding and everything in between. in my grandfathers first 4 years of business he never took a single day off, he just couldn’t afford to. dairies have grown over the years and that has allowed dairymen to have time off, but they are still highly involved in the dairy business, and those that choose to dairy do it because they love the cows, or they wash out and fail in business, reason being is that these businessmen work harder for each dollar they earn than any other profession i know, there is extreme volatility in the pricing of milk, and in the inputs into producing that milk, you cannot rest on your laurels you must be involved in every aspect of the day to day business of the operation! unfortunately now with economies of scale dairies have grown to a size where a producer cannot perform every job fully even if they wanted to, so we are left to entrust much of the work to immigrant labor because the majority of affluent Americans want nothing to do with manual labor. The immigrant labor is hard working and wants to work, but is uneducated. I challenge any of you who question the intents of a hard working dairy industry to work one day on a dairy farm, I assure you it’s hard work and not that lucrative.
May 27, 2010 at 4:52 pm
You’re right, the pricing structure of milk needs to re-worked so that people can make an honest living while taking care of their animals in ways consumers expect.
However, your point that “common practices are misunderstood” is just one more example if the industry not being willing to clean up its act. If common practices are distasteful, perhaps they should become uncommon, rather than the industry continuing to try to justify practices that comsumers don’t want to abide.
And you do realize that the “star” of the video is a mid-western white boy, right?
May 28, 2010 at 1:42 am
foodgardenkitchen, factory farming puts food on your table in a very efficient manor. ideally every dairy cow and every beef cow would be raised for the duration of their life on open pasture. that is ideal, not at all realistic to meet demands and produce optimum production efficiently. dairies have adapted to confined operations in either open lots or free stalls. It is in the best interest of the dairy farmer to make sure that the cow is well treated, is fed properly and is comfortable where she lives because they are rewarded for the quality (measured by somatic cell counts, and components) of their finished product. common misconceived practices on a dairy farm; dehorning cattle tail docking, restraints such as squeezes and headlocks. dehorning is no doubt a painful procedure, but from a safety standpoint when handling a 1500 lb animal they are a liable to injure either you, an employee or another animal with two horns. Michele addressed restraints, tail docking is necessary from a sanitation stand point,the switch of the tail is commonly docked or trimmed off in order to keep the udder as clean as possible so that bacteria cannot be transferred from one teat to the next or from the feces of that cow, it also keeps fecal material out of your milk. if there is another practice you’d like me to address message me back
May 27, 2010 at 8:35 pm
Case, thanks for your comments as a dairyman who has faced the struggles of a milk market that’s paid you less than your input costs.
You are absolutely correct that the majority of Americans lack the work ethic or desire to be a part of a “dirty” business like a farm. Have you seen Mike Rowe’s comments and articles about this? I think he hits the nail on the head.
You cannot rest on your laurels – and being a good dairyman and businessman isn’t all it takes for a dairy to be successful. Today it takes the tenacity to have conversations every day about why you do what you do on your dairy, ensure your employees know and share it with your community. I realize this is another chore on another over-burdened list, but this video clearly illustrates the need for us to be proactive instead of reactive. People deserve to know the people like you behind their milk glass!
May 28, 2010 at 12:51 pm
“tail docking is necessary from a sanitation stand point” – Case
Sorry, can’t let this go.
Tail docking is NOT a necessary practice by any stretch of the imagination.
I’m so tired of hearing that.
I’ve been on dozens and dozens of dairy farms ranging from 200 head to over 1500 head of cattle. Not ONCE have I ever seen a tail amputated for anything other than injury (which I have seen twice – and both involved animal attacks).
Please see the link below…
Click to access Tail-Docking-Dairy.pdf
Oh, and as for the pastured animals, they’re the only kind I buy. In fact, I don’t know a dairy producer who doesn’t pasture their cows provided the weather is above freezing.
@Michele – I am 100% in agreement with you about Mike Rowe. He has provided the real labour force in North America with a voice like they’ve never head. One of my favourite speakers. If you haven’t already, check out his speech on TED.
May 27, 2010 at 1:40 pm
We at Alliance Tire applaud Michele for setting the record straight and telling the true dairy farm story.
May 27, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Go to http://www.hsussucls.com Read the Black Egg article under the articles tab. Then read the DHS report on terrorism under same tab. Mercy for Animals is run by ALF members supported by the orgs on page 9.
May 27, 2010 at 3:07 pm
“A common theme of the animal rights movement is to promote that today’s farms are full of dirty dark secrets.” Michele, with all due respect this is simply not true. I was born and raised in Lima, OH surrounded by many small family-owned farms, and my husband’s family owned a 320 acre dairy and crop farm outside of Columbus, OH. I am actively involved with issues impacting the welfare of all animals. Often I read how farmers don’t appreciate being painted with one broad stroke by the “animal activists”, yet those same individuals are very quick to do the same to me and many of my friends who are involved with animal-related causes. I consider myself a hard working professional, passionate person who gives much time and energy to my faith, family, career and community. To state (as was the case by one person who posted to this forum) “this whole issue of animal cruelty in agriculture is simply part of a huge effort to remove animals from humans and turn this country into a vegan nation!” is simply not true and is very unfair and prejudicial to those us who work hard to raise awareness of the link between animal cruelty and human cruelty. We are all not pink-haired, naval pierced, PETA people running around trying to drive farmers out of business! I’d encourage you and your readers to spend a day with me and talk with the members of my group working to care for all animals. You might just have an eye-opening experience that will change your mind completely about animal activists.
May 27, 2010 at 5:17 pm
I have this discussion all the time, Mary. How I explain it to people is that I am an animal welfare activist (I believe that all living creatures should be treated with the greatest respect possible, handled as gently as possible and cared for in a humane fashion from birth to death), not an animal rights activist (I do not believe that animals should be equal to humans in the eyes of the law).
I agree that it is extremely frustrating to be tarred with the PeTA brush at the first mention of animal welfare issues. However, most people are simply ignorant to the distinction, and need to be educated (as gently as possible).
I also like to point out that there is a difference between giving animals equal rights under the law, and changing the laws so that punishment of animal abusers equals that of those who perpetrate equal crimes on children (after all, the two are equally defenseless).
May 27, 2010 at 3:42 pm
If you watch the whole video–which is extremely painful and difficult to do–one scene shows a man kicking a downed cow in the head and face. The film itself tags/names that man as the owner of Conklin Dairy Farm. Again, I do not think MFA is suggesting all farms are like this. It did an important job, however, exposing this farm, which–if that is in fact also the owner in the film–would lead one to conclude this abuse has been going on a very long time, and was condoned and encouraged by the owner himself.
May 27, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Here’s a link to a news story (one of many I found today) that explains there is video footage of Gary Conklin participating in the abuse (scroll to near the end of the story): http://www.wtol.com/Global/story.asp?S=12555083
May 27, 2010 at 5:57 pm
Thank you. That is quite troubling and doesn’t bode well for this dairy as a whole. It renders his press release comments about the farm’s standards and not standing for this kind of abuse moot. Very sad. I hope the local law enforcement get to the bottom of it.
May 27, 2010 at 5:30 pm
[…] Dark Secrets of Farms by Michele Payn-Knoper […]
May 27, 2010 at 6:35 pm
Dark Secrets! YEP – – I’ll tell you just WHERE they are – – –
H $ U $ = Humane Society of the US
The dark secret you can’t find is the animals they really help – CAUSE, there aren’t any! All the donated money goes to line their pockets, help their retirement funds, OR lobby against you and me having any animal contact in our lives. They want you to be a VEGAN and wear plastic shoes!!! That’s the REAL Dark Secret!
May 27, 2010 at 9:38 pm
Now, what a silly, ignorant thing to say.
May 27, 2010 at 6:59 pm
I am concerned that there are people out there who are applying for jobs at our farms who’s goal is not to work hard to care for cattle because they love them, but instead to use the opportunity to abuse animals and get that on video! What is wrong with these people? The farmers hire them, trusting that they are true caregivers and only want an honest day’s work, when in reality they are looking for an opportunity!
This video makes me sick. I have not been able to watch more than a few seconds. I do not run a dairy farm, but a cattle ranch. If I ever saw someone treating a cow the way that they did on this video, I would stop him–use the pitchfork on him! I would not stand and videotape it!
How does getting this on video help anyone? I don’t understand the argument that it is for the good of the animals to highlight that this treatment occurs….when that person stood there and let this happen! Why not stop the abuse immediately and then report the person!
I love cattle and do my best to take excellent care of them. Treatment like this makes me physically sick.
May 27, 2010 at 10:19 pm
Debbie, please note, the actual owner of the farm is show in the film abusing the animals himself. The person behind the camera didn’t “cause” Gary Conklin to kick and beat his own cows. It isn’t MFA in there punching, stabbing, stomping, breaking the tails of cows. It is the workers and owner of the farm.
Documenting the abuse helps the animals by creating evidence used to help prove that the abuse occurred. If the person filming the abuse merely intervened then went to the police to file a report, it would be one person’s word against another’s.
It is because of the video that there has been one arrest already, and others are likely to follow. Billy Joe Gregg has been stopped from beating another cow to death with a crowbar. As someone who loves her cattle, I would think you would be grateful for this. Although, unfortunately, the law in Ohio considers this animal torture to be a mere misdemeanor. It’s hard to know how much this man will learn from his arrest.
I’m glad to hear Michelle say she knows it’s important to be proactive instead of reactive. If farms want the confidence and trust of consumers, then they should not be fearful of transparency, oversight, regulation, and stricter enforcement of protection for the animals they raise and love. Show the public you support stricter punishment for people like Gregg and Conklin.
May 27, 2010 at 9:13 pm
Let me guess this will never make your ridiculous blog because you are also part of the “dirty secret” it’s not ok to steal milk from any animal and your insinuation that these are “actors” in the video just makes you completely insane. What a nutjob you are to turn a blind eye to this horrible industry and farm! Shame on you
May 27, 2010 at 9:44 pm
If it’s not caught on video, no one will believe him! It would be dismissed as lies or some bleeding heart activist. I grew up on a beef farm and my family farmed beef for 30+ years and I think it is acceptable for someone to go in undercover and document blatant abuse! If you’re not abusing your animals, there’s nothing to worry about and they will move on. I get tired of listening to some people in the Ag community confusing animal rights extremists (PETA), with animal welfare (the majority of us). I drink milk, eat beef, etc but cannot stand abuse and cruelty. Accept the video for what it is and quit trying to make the person taking the videos into the ‘bad’ guy. If he had just reported it, chances are it would have been ignored and the abuse would never stop. I think cameras should be obvious and everywhere, including auctions and slaughter houses. Catching abusers on camera is sometimes the only way to both prevent stop it.
May 27, 2010 at 9:55 pm
What a disturbing thought to even think that someone would do this deliberately just to give the dairy industry a bad name. I would hope that an animal welfare group would realize that they not only would lose credibility for themselves, but every other animal welfare organization as well.
May 27, 2010 at 11:05 pm
I just don’t know how the person taping this could just stand there and watch–and keep the tape rolling. As an animal lover, I would do everything in my power to stop that abuse of that one cow at that moment. It is never okay–and the videographer seems to be okay with it happening “for the greater good” or whatever that is.
May 27, 2010 at 11:26 pm
Debbie, think it through. The camera person did not “just stand there.” The person did an extremely important job of documenting a CRIME.
MFA knows, having tried to get people to pay attention before to animal abuse, and to get changes enacted, that if there is not enough evidence, then NOTHING will happen. There will be no change, and the cows will continue to be beaten to death and stomped to death. What good would it do if, for example, the person with the camera only caught Gregg in one act of abuse? Then it would be very easy for the abuse to be dismissed. The fact that Gregg was caught in multiple acts of abuse means that the police were able to charge him with multiple misdemeanors, thus increasing the amount of his punishment. Don’t you see? If it was just ONE misdemeanor, Gregg might have gotten off entirely, or, at most, served only 90 days in prison. Now, he has been charged with TWELVE misdemeanors, which means he is looking at almost 3 years of prison (plus $750 in fines for EACH misdemeanor). Which is still a paltry, pathetic punishment for what he did.
Also, MFA caught the owner on film as well. That is crucial and damning evidence that may very well lead to the farm being shut down completely.
The camera person is not “okay” with what was happening. If they were “okay” with it, they would not have brought the video to the attention of the whole world, including the police.
May 28, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Debbie,
Thank you. I agree totally. I just endured quite a bashing on a facebook site for that very statement. This supposedly went on for how long? The end does not justify the means….
I feel that this person is equally at fault…..
There was evidence in the first 30 seconds….why go on?
The cameraperson abused those animals just as much as Gregg
May 28, 2010 at 8:38 am
Dear Michele,
I just want to say that I don’t have the opinion of “Conklin Farms representing the entire Dairy Farm Assosciation.” However, I do realize why people have decided to boycott dairy! What I think would be fair for the public, is having full disclosure on who PURCHASES Conklin Farms products! I would also like to see the Dairy organization of America take swift action in eliminating these idiots! There should be steps taken to preserve your good names, as well as protect the consumers from spending their hard earned money on products purchased from retailers who chose to use Conklin consumables!!!
May 28, 2010 at 1:38 pm
Interesting. If dairy cattle everywhere are treated humanely and with dignity, why is there the need to create anti-abuse laws such as the “downed animal act”?
You also mention how nicely calves are treated after they are born. Please tell us what happens to the male calves. The “lucky” females get to stay on the farm but the males get shipped off to auctions or end up in crates to become veal. While I don’t doubt the writer is involved in a nice operation, the cattle industy still has its dirty secrets and of course the cattle industry goes up in arms when the secrets come out because it hurts their business.
I’m sorry, but I highly doubt most people take jobs at dairy farms so they can look out for the well being of the animals.
People can’t take videos of cruelty if cruelty doesn’t exist and calling the workers of Conklin Farms “actors” just proves that the writer won’t hold others accountable for good behavior and humane treatment of animals. As a fellow farmer, the writer should be up in arms that the abuse occured, not that it was captured on film!
May 28, 2010 at 2:49 pm
I’m up in arms that it happened. I’m up in arms that the cameraman didn’t stop it
May 28, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Tamara-
Non-ambulatory bovines are no longer harvested for human consumption in this country as a response to finding BSE in the US.
Selling calves at a livestock auction is not a “dirty secret” of the cattle business. I don’t know a dairy producer who would deny that they sell animals at an auction or try to hide the fact. Male calves (and some females) are sold to other farmers to raise. Most dairies do not raise the male calves because they choose to concentrate their efforts on milk production. This is true on all sizes of dairies.
Why do you doubt that people take jobs at dairies because they care about the well being of the animals? That is exactly why I went to work on a dairy right out of college. My husband has worked as a herdsman on dairy farms for most of his adult life. He certainly doesn’t do it for the comfortable working environment. This past January when the temperature in NW Iowa hit 30 below zero we were in the barn thawing water pipes at 4am so the cattle had plenty of fresh water to drink. We were also caring for newborn calves, feeding the cows their specially formulated diets and making sure their beds were full of sand. The other staff at the dairy was right there with us working to make sure the cows were cared for.
You are absolutely correct that the videos that have been released could not be made if people were not abusing animals. I don’t think anyone could argue otherwise. I interpreted Michele’s reference to the people in the video as “actors” the same way someone would refer to a “bad apple”. I have known Michele for about 20 years. In that time I have never known her to back down from what is right. Ever. I am not sure how you could read this blog post and think that she is not in favor of holding the people in the video responsible for their behavior. What part of “Agriculture has a responsibility to be very clear that such behavior is unacceptable.” is ambiguous on this point?
May 28, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Tamara,
The ban on non-ambulatory cattle was enacted in 2003. This was further strengthened in 2009. This ban was created as a means of BSE prevention. Unfortunately, cattle become non-ambulatory for a number of reasons. Just as children fall and break a limb, cattle also find themselves in situations that can lead to an injury resulting in a non-ambulatory state.
The calves have several outlets. Some are to area farmers to raise on their farms. Others are raised for beef. Some are raised for veal. The veal industry has seen much improvement over the past few years. Here’s a very recent tour of a veal farm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwrgzDBTD-g
Its not as cut and dry as you may think.
As a farmer, I could not have stood by and watched that abuse, as depicted at Conklin Dairy Farm, take place. Its not in me. I was saddened, sickened, and outraged. I would have had to stop it immediately.
May 28, 2010 at 3:19 pm
I can see both sides of the issue as far as whether the undercover worker(s) bears any culpability for not stopping the abuse and reporting it immediately. But ultimately, it’s up to law enforcement to investigate and gather evidence, no matter what crime has been witnessed and whether it involves humans or animals.
May 28, 2010 at 11:00 pm
correct Stella
May 28, 2010 at 8:34 pm
In case anyone would like to learn more about the animal welfare guidelines that today’s dairy farmers are implementing, please check out http://animalagalliance.org/current/home.cfm?Category=Animal_Welfare&Section=Dairy.
The National Milk Producers Federation recently launched a new initiative called the Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) which dairy operators can participate in to further show their commitment to animal care. The program includes a care guide and checklist, training materials, and third party audits and was developed by animal care experts and veterinarians.
Learn more: http://www.nationaldairyfarm.com/