Cattle housing?

[Anonymous]

Hello, I am new to the board. I also know nothing about cattle. But, I am asking a few curiousity questions.
My husband's aunt has 5 beef and dairy Simmental cows. I am worried about their living conditions and since I know nothing about housing cows I thought I should ask before making any sort of fuss.
She keeps them in an old barn permanently. They have never been outside, I do not think they have seen any sort of daylight. There are a few windows in the barn, but they are small and dirty so no light comes in. The cows are all lined up and chained by the neck and one foot to a bar thing which has a feeding trough on the other side. They can stick their heads through it and eat. But other than that they can only lay down and stand up. They can not turn around or walk anywhere. The ground under their feet is concrete with a bit of hay thrown down. Other than that it is very wet and mucky in there. She only keeps female cows and occasionally has them impregnated and then sells the calves.
I am not sure if any of this housing is normal. It just seems to me like they should be out in a pasture grazing and then come into a nice well lit barn for warmth. Am I wrong?
Thanks for any suggestions or advice

 

[la4angus]

I had never heard of a situation like this until I read your post.
This is definitely abnormal.
IMO this is where the Humane Society should be called in to investigate.
This has to be very uncomfortable for the cows plus an unhealthy situation for the cows.

Maybe the aunt has a screw loose somewheres.

 

[bwalsh]

Not only is the housing situation for these cattle abnormal, it is cruel. I agree that animal control, the humane society or some other agency should be contacted.

 

[dun]

Whoa sportsfans. What you have described is not that unusaul for a tie barn arrangment that is used in many areas for dairy cows.
While it is desireable for them to get out and about and being in a stuffy barn may not be the healthiest environemtn there is nothing inately cruel about it.

dun

I had never heard of a situation like this until I read your post.
This is definitely abnormal.
IMO this is where the Humane Society should be called in to investigate.
This has to be very uncomfortable for the cows plus an unhealthy situation for the cows.

Maybe the aunt has a screw loose somewheres.

 

[la4angus]

Whoa sportsfans. What you have described is not that unusaul for a tie barn arrangment that is used in many areas for dairy cows.
While it is desireable for them to get out and about and being in a stuffy barn may not be the healthiest environemtn there is nothing inately cruel about it.

dun

I had never heard of a situation like this until I read your post.
This is definitely abnormal.
IMO this is where the Humane Society should be called in to investigate.
This has to be very uncomfortable for the cows plus an unhealthy situation for the cows.

Maybe the aunt has a screw loose somewheres.

Whoa Dun
This is one time that I disagree with you.

 

[dun]

Talk with dairyman in the North East that have tie stall or stanchion type barns. Many of them the milker is brought to the cow and she rarly gets out of her slot. Loose housing and free stall housing may be getting more common, but it's still done in that environment.
40 years ago that was pretty much the most common form of housing milking herds.

dun

Whoa sportsfans. What you have described is not that unusaul for a tie barn arrangment that is used in many areas for dairy cows.
While it is desireable for them to get out and about and being in a stuffy barn may not be the healthiest environemtn there is nothing inately cruel about it.

dun

I had never heard of a situation like this until I read your post.
This is definitely abnormal.
IMO this is where the Humane Society should be called in to investigate.
This has to be very uncomfortable for the cows plus an unhealthy situation for the cows.

Maybe the aunt has a screw loose somewheres.

Whoa Dun
This is one time that I disagree with you.

 

[la4angus]

It may have been done this way 40 years ago, but that doesn't mean that is the right thing to do.

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

Holy Cow!

Cut those cattle loose from their leash and give them some fresh air, natural outdoor environment, grazing opportunity!!! On a concrete floor yet!

Sounds like the woman that "owns" these cattle has more than one screw loose! What is she running ... "a puppy (cattle) mill"? Can't imagine that these jailed animals are healthy and have normal bones and muscles!

Bottomline...if she won't change their environment, then call the Sheriff along with the Humane Society... :!:

This type of situation is only a little more humane (and healthy for the animals) than those that raise swine and veal calves in small cages/pens and they never see the sky, flowers, and grass...much less have room to stretch their legs and exercise a little.

:shock:

 

[dun]

Didn't say it was right, just that it's done that way. Some of these small dairys are on very small pieces of land, all feed is bought in and pasture is out of the question.
I find it very unpleasent, but there are things that a lot of herds do that I find unpleasent. The original poster maybe should look around at other facilities in the same area and see what kind of conditions are considered basicly standard for there.
I find it nasty to have steers in feedlots bedding down on 30 foot high mounds of manure, but it's practicle and isn't as disgusting as it seems. It even serves a health purpose.

dun

It may have been done this way 40 years ago, but that doesn't mean that is the right thing to do.

 

[Tman]

Seems harse to me and certainly would cause one to pause before tilting up that next refreshing glass of milk.

If all is well or at least within the standards set by the locals then a call and subsequent visit by an unbiased and uninterested third party such as the local humane society or sherrif for that region could not hurt anything. If all is well then that would be the end of it, else change my occur that would be better for all.


As a final thought, things are not always what they seem on the surface. How much time have you spent on the farm with these cows ? Are you certain that this is their only existence ?

 

[la4angus]

I am just replying to the original post.

IMO, the way the OLD GUINEA, is stated to be caring for her cattle is WRONG.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No questions about it. WRONG!!!!!WRONG!!!!!WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dun]

Sure can't argue with well thought out logic like that!

dun

I am just replying to the original post.

IMO, the way the OLD GUINEA, is stated to be caring for her cattle is WRONG.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No questions about it. WRONG!!!!!WRONG!!!!!WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[dun]

BTW, if she is producing milk for commercial purposes she is being inspected regularly by the local or state health department.

dun

 

[la4angus]

BTW, if she is producing milk for commercial purposes she is being inspected regularly by the local or state health department.

dun

Many 5 head beef and dairy operations that are producing milk for commercial purposes are not State or Federal inspected. Dun you know that as well as I do. You have to many smart's to be stupid.
They sell the milk to their neighbors. No questions asked.

 

[Anonymous]

CALM DOWN! Jeezzz, I don't like em but they were the industry standard in many places longer than LA's been able to say cow. Sounds like a little old lady on the margin doing it the way the family did for years. that said GET INVOLVED, are the cows well fed and do the waterers work? Your aunt would probably like to talk about the cows, walk down and lean on a board and ask some questions like you're interested NOT checking up on her. Is she able to take care of em or is she having trouble scraping manure, sores undrer the neck chains or where they been laying?, might help spread some sawdust instead of visiting curves. as far as sunlight and flowers---most accountants don't see the outside but a few days a year either. However, a little help and some concerned nudges might not be enough, look out for the family feud if you do have to call authorities

 

[la4angus]

CALM DOWN! Jeezzz, I don't like em but they were the industry standard in many places longer than LA's been able to say cow. Sounds like a little old lady on the margin doing it the way the family did for years. that said GET INVOLVED, are the cows well fed and do the waterers work? Your aunt would probably like to talk about the cows, walk down and lean on a board and ask some questions like you're interested NOT checking up on her. Is she able to take care of em or is she having trouble scraping manure, sores undrer the neck chains or where they been laying?, might help spread some sawdust instead of visiting curves. as far as sunlight and flowers---most accountants don't see the outside but a few days a year either. However, a little help and some concerned nudges might not be enough, look out for the family feud if you do have to call authorities

I have STATED my OPINION and will not COMMENT on this SUBJECT any more.

 

[Campground Cattle]

We did a lot of things differently 100 or even 50 years ago this is not right.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with the get involved part. When I was just a kid an old timer down the road had more animals than could possibly be raised on a small parcel of land. The long and short of it was most of the land had been sold off, his wife was long gone and all he had was his animals and the ground they stood on. He loved his animals but had long since lost any sense of what was good for them our himself. I spent many mornings and evenings at his place feeding and watering everthing from mules to peacocks. When all was said and done he passed and the county came in and carted off all the animals to God knows where. At the time it broke my heart and I felt betrayed, now that I am older I wish he had someone there to take over for him.

Maybe she has the same problem ? Perhaps they don't get out because it is too hard for her to accomplish! A little help ????

I struggle with all of this but it does seem strange that after all we do for kindness to our animals we turn our head while they are whacked in the head with a hammer at the slaughter house and I sure don not mind a good steak ! I don't pretend to understand it all.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

Maybe the original poster should talk to the Aunt about change, rather than calling in authorities. Especially the Humane Society. You give them an inch and they get a court order to take a mile. She may not listen but it's a better first step. Old cows like that can be called in to feed every day and you can do your business anyway without locking them up.

 

[skip]

This is what makes this board so D*** good. All of the exchanges of ideas and thoughts on a topic. It's good to see that WE all get emotionally charged over different issues. Personally, I can't imagine anyone keeping cattle this way but I haven't been around the dairy business very much. If this was my only option to keeping the animals, I would have sold or given them away. I see the little dairy down the road where the cows are out grazing out in the green pastures every day. I thought that's the way it's done everywhere. Once again Dun, you've taught me something new.

To the original poster, you've gotten plenty of great information from a lot of good people. Now, you need to do what you are comfortable with. Good luck.

PS. I would be very interested in the responses you get from your husband's aunt and how this plays out.