Animal welfare

[DL]

OK here is a topic sure to get a lively conversation going - what do you think is the number one animal welfare issue facing animal agriculture today?

 

[Doc]

In my part of the country, I think one thing that is going to happen is with horses. With no pasture, no hay & no killer market I think we are going to see a lot more starved horses. I think it could get to the point where they do like a lot of people do with unwanted dogs & take them down a dirt country road & just turn them loose. Already had several cases of starved horses on the news s.e. of Nashville.

 

[justme]

The horse issue is huge here.  The sale barn prices have bottomed out.  Its a shame such beautiful creatures could end up suffering.  We have some major hog confinements here and that is always a hot issue.  Our economy really does depend on them for employment, taxes, and community support.  Always a hot issued here.

 

[Cowboy]

We not only have cattle, but horses as well. I have to say that I am also very concerned for the future welfare of many thousands of horses. Alot of sububia type people in the last 10 years have placed a horse or two on thier "RANCH" of 5 acres, only to realize that they eat one hell of alot more than 5 acres of grass a year. Alot of them were bought as a way to fit a NICHE and look important, too many of these typw horses were low dollar value to start with, and have only gotten worse now. Neglected, underfed, unbroke -- and all ofa sudden a liability instead of a valued asset. It is a shame for sure --- a good number of these types of horses were destined for the killer market when these  newly made ranchers bought them -- took them home and stuck them in a 12 foot pen made of bent steel and barb wire -- onlty to be a mazed as to why they were all cut up and infected soon after -- we have all seen the scenario -- I know io have. We have 4 head of good ranch horses here, they cost money to own and to take care of -- but are well worth it many times over. Besides the range work stand point, they simply are excellent stress relievers when every thing else has gone wrong -- you just go saddle up and let them take the pain away -- it works for me!

On the livestock issues -- The number one PETA issue country wide is how bad we treat them in total "Confinement"

That issue will never go away becuase they are readily seen all over the country form Dairy's to Hog Barns, Chickens etc etc. The more visable an operation is the ore they are going to try and play the "POOR ANIMAL" thing in the news and papers. It isn't going to go away -- so I feel that is the number one thrat to production agriculture -- it is not the day to day welfare and health of those animals we need to fear -- it is the opinions of the URBANITES -- they are well funded and agressive -- they flat scare me from the simple standpoint of how STUPID they trully are! Go figure!

My assay of low intelligence for the day !!! hehehehe

Terry

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

The horse issue is certainly getting more attention recently. It is a shame that people are so short sighted and have backed themselves into a corner on this issue. The horse killer plants were closed in a large part to the fact that horses are no longer considered livestock, they are conpanion animals. The same people that preasured the closing of the plants because they didn't want to see "Trigger" harvested because it was cruel should see the out come for thousands of horses now. Don't get me wrong, I have horses and wouldn't trade my time horseback for a cruise in the Bahamas. I have a 26 year old mare that I will bury on top of "top hand hill" along with a few good stockdogs that all earned their place there when her time comes. But not everyone that owns a horse has that option and truthfully not all horses are worthy of it. With thousands of colts being born each year, the market is saturated to the point of explosion and lets face the fact that old age and physical condition mandates that something be done with thousands of horses each year let alone the thousands that people buy and discover that they can't take care of or just simply lose interest in. I just think it's ironic that the same people that were going to save the horses from being cruely harvested are the people that are truthfuly responsible for far more suffering than they ever dreamed of stopping. Off my soap box and now I will ride off into the sunset.

 

[cherokee1]

I also agree with the horse issue.  I drive by 2 horses everyday, the one looks to be older and is thin, but this winter I was to the point that I thought I needed to call animal welfare. The horses were like skeletons.

The other issue we have in this part is that in order to maintain your "ag" status you have to 1. Raise a crop 2. Graise cattle sheep or goats on your property.  It is every ones dream to be a "rancher" and raise a cow, well they do not know how to properly care for that cow, so I have seen skeleton thin cattle that are eating yucca plants because the rest of the 35 acres is nothing but dirt, to a cow that had the biggest cancer eye I have ever seen.  The cancer eye cow, I drove by for a month until I could not take it any more, it was so badly infected that I could see the puss running down her face with me on the road and her way in the pasture, it was bloody, covered in flys, I would imagine worms, maggots etc. AND I swear to you that the cancer had grown so big that it was as long as a 6 yr old childs arm.  The welfare people finally visited them and they had the cow destroyed.

Running dogs is another problem that happens on a much to often basis.  Mrs. Smith just swears that fido would not hurt a fly, well fido was in with my show cattle one night and cost me a big vet bill.  On a side note, I have chased Fido down the county road with the bumper of my car on his tail.  My husband talked to the owners AGAIN and I think that they gave the dog away.  People move out here and thing that they can let their dogs (and kids) run lose.  They just do not understand that roaming dogs do get into trouble they will chase livestock and can take down a calf, which costs us alot of money. It is sad.

 

[ROAD WARRIOR]

As long as we are talking animal welfare and dogs have been brought into the topic - it really puts a burr under my saddle when people from the city dump there unwanted pets on my door step so that "they can live out the rest of their days in the country". It boils down to the fact that the people are too cheap to take their dog to the vet and have them put to sleep or find a new home for them if they are not geriatric. Protocol here is contact as many people as I can to see if they have lost their dog (neighbors within 10 miles) - if no one has lost their dog, it gets a one way ticket to puppy heaven. Yes I know it sounds harsh but if I didn't there would be 50 dogs a year call this place home, the joys of living on a dead end road out in the sticks! As far as dogs in the livestock, I shoot first and forget it, anyone that ignores their dog and lets it run the country (and my stock) doesn't deserve to have a dog. Some of you that live in more populated areas may have to handle this situation differently but around here it's like I told the DNR officer when he asked me why I was carrying a rifle in the pasture - to kill anything that doesn't belong here! I'm going to quit here before I lose all of my karma points.     

 

[Will]

One of the most important issue in agriculture today and especially tomorrow are the issues dealing with water.  I live in an area that is a water shed were a major city gets thier water.  If they had thier way they would not let us fertilize.  They have tried to stop us from grazing the water ways.  I believe it will become a issue if we can use water for ag or if the cities will eventially have controll.

 

[knabe]

it's animal welfare and property rights in general.  all animals.  with chimps about ready to be classified equal to human, horses as pets and not livestock, the number one issue with animal welfare is not votes to balance zero tolerance mentality and idealism which only leads to war.  ask woodrow wilson.

 

[NHR]

The horse issue is becoming a problem, in the last 12 months we have had 6 horses dumped off to run up and down our road. I guess when someone runs into one of the horses and is killed the family should sue PETA for not guranteeing the horses well being since they pushed for the legislation that led to the issue.

Land rights: Big issue with urban sprawl. Here in TX there is this push by our dumb$@@ governor to build a super highway from Oklahoma to Mexico and confiscate a 1 mile wide path of farm and ranch property along the entire route.

Water rights, always big issue.

 

[knabe]

NHR, the highway could potentially be private and will have a mexican port of entry i think in canada.  our government no longer represents US citizens.  it's time to fire them and not give them a retirement and health care package.  It's a monopoly that must be busted NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

 

[NHR]

NHR, the highway could potentially be private and will have a mexican port of entry i think in canada.  our government no longer represents US citizens.  it's time to fire them and not give them a retirement and health care package.  It's a monopoly that must be busted NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Agree 100%

 

[knabe]

wow, i can't believe i'm so upset.  i think the port of entry is going to be in kansas, not canada.

 

[SWMO]

Horses are a problem.  And the Humane Societies' in our area are just not equipped to deal with large animals.  They will hardly do anything about starving horses simply because they don't have the resources to take care of them.  Horses are expensive to feed and maintain as the CITY farmers find out after they buy a couple and put them on five acres.

I don't see the situation getting any better and will most likely it will get much worse.  There needs to be a way to dispose of unwanted, ill bred, or just plain dangerous horses.  Those of you that worry about water quality issues will appreciate that our local humane society does not incinerate the dogs and cats that are put down.  The remains are sent to the local land fill.  A horse carcass becomes a real issue because incineration is difficult and burying several carcasses in one area can have an adverse effect on the water.  But in the interest of animal welfare let's not allow the slaughter of horses and keep the unwanted horses in conditions that are unfair to the animal.  A sudden death is not preferable to animal activists and slow starvation is much more acceptable. ???

Where has common sense gone?

 

[garybob]

The horse issue is becoming a problem, in the last 12 months we have had 6 horses dumped off to run up and down our road. I guess when someone runs into one of the horses and is killed the family should sue PETA for not guranteeing the horses well being since they pushed for the legislation that led to the issue.

Land rights: Big issue with urban sprawl. Here in TX there is this push by our dumb$@@ governor to build a super highway from Oklahoma to Mexico and confiscate a 1 mile wide path of farm and ranch property along the entire route.

Water rights, always big issue.

NHR,

Where, exactly is this "NAFTA Hwy" going to be? Will it folow an already-existing route? Kinda curious. Where will it connect with our neighbor to the south?

First I've heard of this.

Gary Bob

 

[knabe]

it is actually common sense if you are a PETA person.  remember, their goal is no animals for anything.  no research, no meat, no recreation no nothing, so if they have to "create" these little difficulties, they are actually laughing at all nonPETA people how easy of prey we are to their whims.  we are being ruled by the minority, and most people know it is easier to rule by feeling than it is logic.  logic always takes more time, and when the schools are run by feelings, well, it's an uphill struggle.  i think in CA there is some issue with putting horses down, DL knows what it is where the euthinasia drug is toxic to ground water, so it's getting to the point where you can't do that either.  it's like cornwallis's last battle before surrender to hudson i think his name was.  french coming at the british from the sea and surrounded on by the american army.  except PETA is doing it legislatively.  it's called incrementalism, and for the most part, it goes unnoticed because no one believes the ultimate goals and the hole plugging at a slow rate necessary to obtain their goal.

NAFTA highway is going 1 mile from my aunts house who will probably be bought out, I35

 

[Jill]

wow, i can't believe i'm so upset.  i think the port of entry is going to be in kansas, not canada.

You know we live on I-35 (in Kansas)  and heard a couple of years ago they were wanting to put in some kind of super highway, a 12 lane deal that sounds like what you are talking about.  They are building an inter model facility about and mile and a half from us that is suppose to handle several thousand trucks per day, maybe they know something we don't

 

[JbarL]

feed and water...and all the related costs...."good" water is getting scarce..(global scope)...for humans let alone animals...hay/grain costs are getting ready to bust.....local pig guy said his winter feed for this winter would be 50% higher than last year....8 bucks a hundred to 12 bucks a hundred.... local hay guys got avg. 35% less hay/acre and costs were up avg... 8%..( fuel/labor )....string even went up....looks like they may get a bit of 2nd cut...and thats about all the good news there is.......2 buck bale days are offically over here starting next year....jbarl

 

[Show Heifer]

The biggest concern: The agriculture communities turning a blind eye to these "radical" groups.....It is WAY past time to start attacking THEM, instead of taking punch after punch and letting them divide and conquer US.  Come on people, it is time to stand up and take a stand, regardless of how uncomfortable is it.

 

[SWMO]

We do have farm organizations that fight this very thing. The key is for the involvement of the entire farming and ranching community.  Our problem as farmers and ranchers is that we are very independent and have different goals and agendas within agriculture.  What is good for one sector of agriculture is not necessarily good for another.

Farm Bureau and the National Cattlemens Association are always addressing animal welfare issues.  Farm Bureau in Missouri has been a leading advocate of property rights issues.  Unfortunately just like in rural New York (they get outvoted by New York City)  We tend to be ruled by St Louis and Kansas City voters.

A rude awakening for our city cousins will be when we have a real crisis within our food supply chain in America.  American's enjoy the safest and cheapest food in the world and don't appreciate or recognize that fact.

The biggest threat to our National Security is when we as a country lose the ability to feed ourselves.