Touching post on my local board

[Madsaw]

Just wanted to pass this post along from my local hometown message board. Very touching, I wish I could help the lady out. I know how hard it must be. I been raised on the farm and been full time for 20 + yrs
Bob

Can someone help me save these cows?? PLEASE READ!!! Thank you..
IP: 172.192.7.225
Posted on April 15, 2009 at 08:03:01 AM by Determined

Hello -
First off, I would like to say thank you for taking the time to read this. It is appreciated. As crazy, odd, or weird this may sound, please keep an open mind, and try to understand my view.
I have been working on a Dairy farm for over a year now. A job that started out as just that has become no longer a job, but a love. A dedication, of learning, caring, understanding, overall a big part of my life. I have learned more than I though I ever would. In addition, I continue each day to learn more.
My boss has decided to sell his cows or farm or the whole kit and caboodle. At first he had talked about going through a dairy buy out, but that entailed all animals be slaughtered, so he had a few people come and look at the girls. He is now convinced that the buy out is the only way to go. I however disagree. There are too many good Cows in this herd, and a couple that need to be retired, not killed. For all the years they have put in and all they have been through. These girls are standing at deaths doorstep, and I would do just about anything to save these girls. I know how to manage a farm, and how to take care of all of these animals properly. I have worked with the Vets, Milk tester ECT.
I even tried to buy them, but according to the FSA, I don’t have enough experience. My husband and my kids have the same love of these Animals. We spend many hours and have put a lot of time and effort and love into these animals. I have spent many hours learning about them and from them. There isn’t much I don’t know about them. Yes, I have cried, it hurts too much to know their fate. I have no other option but to turn to you, all of you to help. Personally, I think my boss is being selfish, and the only one he is concerned about is himself. To him things are not going fast enough. The only thing he is concerned with is how much money he can get. If I could dream big for a moment, I would love someone to buy the whole farm, cows and all, and let me live down there and run it the way it should be run. I know times are tuff, and the economy is struggling. I know in my heart of hearts that it can be productive and profitable. However, I know that it is almost an impossible dream. I would need an honest miracle for that to happen.
Therefore, my wish, for these girls is to find the best homes possible for them. (If I could go with GREAT). Either way I know I am asking for a lot. I struggle week to week and I know I could get a better job making more money, but I cannot leave. For the girls sake. I have tried to find another job, trying to convince myself I need to leave before they do, but the people I have talked to said I sound great and sound dedicated to them and to learning more. However, the drive, that I would have to make, was too far for them, so they have never contacted me back. Buy know you can tell I have a great love for these girls all of them, I have befriended most all of them, From Cows in the barn all the way down to the calves in the hutches. Please if there is anyway some one could help or even give me some ideas, I would forever be thankful. I put my heart and soul into these girls and know that they deserve so much better, not just for them but for their unborn calves which also face the same fate. Please send this to everyone you know. I at one point thought about a SAVE MY GIRLS FUND. Other than my Husband and kids these girls have become my life. Please pass this around. Any help would be so welcome; you honestly do not know how deep my appreciation would run. I am hoping I am not too late, and this is my last resort. I do understand this industry, and do understand you have business decisions to make, but I feel very strongly that sentencing these girls to death, is not a good business decision. I truly hope all of you that read this, can understand, my feelings and my pain, frustration, but yet can see my dream and hope. Please please pass this to everyone you know…

There are less than a 110 animals on the farm. The range from newborn calves to what I call the wieners, to different age replacement heifers, springing heifers, and 62 milk cows…

Thank you for taking a few moments to read this, I appreciate it…

Any questions, comments, ideas, or suggestions please call

[Up North]

The owner is not being selfish. He is protecting his family from losing everything and becoming homeless and destitute.
Like the Soldiers in the civil war who had a leg creeping with gangrene, sometimes you make a choice to sever the limb or lose the whole body.

[ozark_jewels]

As much as I can understand her caring for the cows, this lady is not living in the real world. I wish her the best.

[65284]

It would be most helpful in these requests of we knew where you are. Why oh why won't folks at least identify the state they live in? Not asking you to post your really personal info. like street addy and phone number or even your town.

I really wish the owner of this site would make that a requirement for posting. I mean it's not like posters were confessing to murder or something on here.

Come on people let's get our locations posted.

[susieM]

That poor woman should never have taken a job in the meat and dairy industry. We've all heard of people hoarding cats...but can you imagine hoarding cows?!

[Madsaw]

65284,
This thread was located on a local message board in southern wisconsin.
Bob

[gone-a-milkin]

Madsaw, I understand how that lady feels. I also understand Up North's point of view.

It is a touching story. I think the farmer was very lucky to have such a caring hand to work with his cows.

It is truly a shame that farmers have such a hard lot. The dairy industry defies logic, IMO.

I also wish her the best.

[copperhead46]

I don't understand why a dairy buy out means slaughter for all animals...........Why can't there be a dairy auction and let local dairy farmers buy the animals?? Here in Oklahoma I have been to a lot of dairy auctions. Farmers also take the animals to the local sale barn and the barn advertizes a "dairy herd liqudation" and people wanting milking animals come and buy them. The older animals usually go to slaughter, but younger, viable animals usually got to a home.
P.J.

[Up North]

Originally Posted by copperhead46

I don't understand why a dairy buy out means slaughter for all animals...........Why can't there be a dairy auction and let local dairy farmers buy the animals?? Here in Oklahoma I have been to a lot of dairy auctions. Farmers also take the animals to the local sale barn and the barn advertizes a "dairy herd liqudation" and people wanting milking animals come and buy them. The older animals usually go to slaughter, but younger, viable animals usually got to a home.
P.J.

A dairy farmer who has decided to discontinue dairying has different options.
One is to sell the herd private treaty to another private party.
Another is to have an auction and have each individual animal sell to the highest bidder.
Another is to place a bid in the cwt herd buyout program, which is what I believe the op is referring to.
The cwt herd buyout is a program paid for by dairy farmers(not the Government) which uses funds from dairy farmer's milk checks to buy entire herds to remove them from production thus helping to balance domestic supply and demand in an attempt to stabilize milk prices. The cwt program requires that all cows in their buyout be sent to slaughter as a way to reduce the supply of U.S. milk in an attempt to move price to a level where the remaining dairy producers can operate at break even or possibly profitable levels.
Details here: http://www.cwt.coop/

The owner of a dairy herd chooses which option will net the largest amount for the herd, or minimize the losses as the case may be.

[ArmyDoc]

Originally Posted by Madsaw

...I feel very strongly that sentencing these girls to death, is not a good business decision....

Unfortunately, in agriculture almost every cow is ultimately destined to be butchered. If in dairy, when she no longer meets production standards, in Beef, when she no longer produces calves on time. This would be true if the dairy farmer stayed in business or not, it just wouldn't happen all at once. Cows that can die of old age are the exception, and a rare one, not the rule.

On the brighter side, she's cared for these cows and given them a life free from hunger, disease and predation. All in all, the clean efficient death they are receiving would be much better than the starvation or predation death if they were "wild".