| In one respect, possibly the best person
| |
| | discomfort by using a bloodless
|
| to do a preliminary assessment of a cow
| |
| | emasculator or burdizzo, which only
|
| protection program is an accountant,
| |
| | pinches the semen tubes to achieve
|
| because of his or her training to
| |
| | sterilization.
|
| evaluate performance in terms of names,
| |
| | * Whether oxen are castrated before being
|
| dates and numbers. These factors reveal a
| |
| | given to the Jains is unknown.
|
| lot about the quality of cow protection,
| |
| | SHELTER, GRAZING AND FEED
|
| even before the project is visited.
| |
| | 14. The cows' living conditions should be
|
| Let's evaluate the Mother Cow program by
| |
| | clean and comfortable.
|
| a set of standards (abbreviated here)
| |
| | * The 30 animals who have been permitted
|
| that I posted a year ago. The point here
| |
| | to remain at Mother Cow appear to have
|
| is not to attack Mother Cow, but rather
| |
| | clean facilities. The living conditions
|
| by revealing positive standards of cow
| |
| | of animals donated to the Jain goshalla
|
| protection to promote the defense of
| |
| | are unknown.
|
| Dharma in all cow protection programs.
| |
| | 15. All cows should have adequate
|
| MONITORING AND RECORDS
| |
| | shelter.
|
| 1. The entire herd should be counted
| |
| | * Again, the 30 animals who remain at
|
| daily.
| |
| | Mother Cow seem to have adequate shelter.
|
| * Whether Mother Cow follows this
| |
| | It is unknown what kind of shelter the
|
| standard is unknown, but probably it
| |
| | other 40 animals have.
|
| would not be difficult at least to count
| |
| | 16. Adequate fencing should be
|
| the cows still being maintained at Mother
| |
| | maintained.
|
| Cow.
| |
| | * Apparently the fencing is adequate
|
| 2. Every cow should have a name.
| |
| | since the goshalla stresses that cows are
|
| * It appears that all Mother Cow's
| |
| | not permitted to wander the streets
|
| milking cows have names, but it's worth
| |
| | eating hazardous garbage. Thus they are
|
| noting that the website doesn't give
| |
| | also protected from street injuries and
|
| names of any calves or bulls. Thus it's
| |
| | from slaughter by rustlers.
|
| harder to know what becomes of them, and
| |
| | 17. Cows must be provided sufficient
|
| less noticeable when they are missing.
| |
| | grazing opportunity. And, as stated by
|
| 3. Records should be kept with the name,
| |
| | Bhismadeva in the Mahabharata, no cow
|
| sex, date of birth of each cow. When a
| |
| | should be kept always tethered.
|
| cow or calf dies, the cause of death and
| |
| | * Grazing opportunities unknown.
|
| date of death should be recorded. Annual
| |
| | 18. The program should maintain adequate
|
| records should be provided to members
| |
| | pasture for animals. Generally the
|
| each year.
| |
| | minimum would be at least 1/2 acre (1/4
|
| * Unknown. Website does not specify
| |
| | hectare) per animal, preferably 1 acre
|
| whether members receive an annual cow
| |
| | per animal.
|
| census.
| |
| | * 30 cows on 3 acres of land means 1/10
|
| 4. Calf mortality should be less than
| |
| | acre of land for each animal, probably
|
| 10%. In the absence of proper records,
| |
| | less, because buildings occupy some land.
|
| this can be determined retroactively by
| |
| | Mother Cow plans to purchase more land,
|
| seeing how many cows have been milking in
| |
| | but indicates land will be for 40 more
|
| the last 2-3 years and determining how
| |
| | cows (and presumably their 40 more
|
| many of their calves are still alive.
| |
| | calves). "Our plans for expansion include
|
| * Website indicates over 50 calves born
| |
| | the purchase of 6 acres of land (in
|
| to 22 milking cows - yet Mother Cow
| |
| | addition to our present 3 acres of land),
|
| states it is protecting only 12 calves.
| |
| | 40 milk cows, 2 fully equipped barns..."
|
| What happened to the other 40 calves?
| |
| | It appears that to increase profitability
|
| 5. Analyzed by sex, the herd should be
| |
| | of the dairy, conditions will become more
|
| approximately 50% cows, 50% bulls or
| |
| | crowded, not less crowded.
|
| oxen. If there are far more females than
| |
| | 19. Cows should be sufficiently well fed.
|
| males, it's a sign of a discrepancy -
| |
| | * It appears that the 22 milking cows are
|
| either in the organization's incomplete
| |
| | well fed. The conditions of the animals
|
| understanding of cow protection, or in
| |
| | sent to the Jain goshalla are unknown.
|
| substandard protection for bull calves.
| |
| | 20. Ideally, feed for the cows should be
|
| * Website indicates over 50 calves born
| |
| | grown on site, not purchased from
|
| to 22 milking cows - yet Mother Cow
| |
| | outside.
|
| states that it has only one bull and one
| |
| | * Given the small amount of land, most
|
| ox. Of the total of 70 animals, only 2
| |
| | feed must be purchased from outside, but
|
| males are currently protected by Mother
| |
| | it appears from the photos that some is
|
| cow (less than 3 percent). The oxen shown
| |
| | grown on site.
|
| in the website's photo don't appear to be
| |
| | FUNDING AND ACCOUNTING
|
| from Mother Cow, since all the cows are
| |
| | 21. The goshalla should have an accurate
|
| taurean breeds, but the oxen shown are
| |
| | and clear method of keeping accounts, and
|
| Indic or Brahmin breed.
| |
| | members should be presented with an
|
| 6. Any cow who has taken shelter on
| |
| | annual statement of accounts.
|
| Krsna's land or in Krsna's temple should
| |
| | * It is unknown whether members are
|
| never be subsequently sold, traded, given
| |
| | presented with an annual statement of
|
| away or killed.
| |
| | accounts. Since the endeavor is set up
|
| * Statistics show that several dozen cows
| |
| | primarily as a profit-making dairy rather
|
| are missing from the herd. We're assured
| |
| | than as a cow protection program, it
|
| that bull calves are given to a Jain
| |
| | seems doubtful that the standard of
|
| project where they will be "protected for
| |
| | public accounting exists at this stage.
|
| life." Out of site, out of mind. On one
| |
| | 22. Ideally, funds collected for a
|
| hand, if the Jain temple is protecting
| |
| | goshalla or cow protection program should
|
| these cows, why not donate money directly
| |
| | be kept separate from other accounts,
|
| to the Jains? On the other hand, getting
| |
| | such as that of a temple or community
|
| rid of unprofitable cows by giving them
| |
| | facility. Funds should not be invested in
|
| to others makes Mother Cow's claims of
| |
| | any speculative business enterprise.
|
| providing life-time protection
| |
| | * Unknown.
|
| unconvincing.
| |
| | COWHERD TRAINING AND SUPPORT
|
| BREEDING AND AQUIRING COWS
| |
| | 23. Cowherds should be recognized as
|
| 7. No cow should be bred for milk
| |
| | important members in the spiritual
|
| production alone, without plans for the
| |
| | community.
|
| resulting calf. No cow should be bred
| |
| | * Whether cowherd are regarded as members
|
| unless there is a clear and concrete plan
| |
| | of the spiritual community is unknown.
|
| for the care of the calf for its entire
| |
| | The fact that their photos are
|
| life, which may be 10-20 years. This
| |
| | highlighted on the website seems
|
| means there must be adequate land,
| |
| | positive. When cowherds are publicly
|
| adequate funding and adequate trained
| |
| | praised, they take pride in their work.
|
| personnel to care for the resulting calf.
| |
| | This usually results in better care for
|
| * The statement of goals indicates that
| |
| | the cows.
|
| cows are being bred primarily for milk
| |
| | 24. Ideally, the goshalla should maintain
|
| production: "Our plans for expansion
| |
| | a well designed program for training
|
| include the purchase of 6 acres of land
| |
| | cowherds and ox-power farmers.
|
| (in addition to our present 3 acres of
| |
| | * Training program for cowherds is
|
| land), 40 milk cows." Cows are not being
| |
| | unknown, but probably there is some
|
| bred to produce working oxen, nor is
| |
| | program in place or the facilities would
|
| there any description of training the
| |
| | not look as good as they do. It is
|
| resulting bull calves, who appear to be
| |
| | doubtful that there is a training program
|
| simply unwanted offspring.
| |
| | for teamsters, since most bull calves are
|
| 8. Cows should not be acquired based on
| |
| | sent away,
|
| sentiment alone. A goshalla should not
| |
| | 25. Cowherds should be facilitated and
|
| allow itself to be exploited by those who
| |
| | supported so they can have a decent, if
|
| "donate" animals with mixed motives.
| |
| | simple, standard of living... Without
|
| * Mother Cow cannot be accused of this
| |
| | proper training, facility and care of its
|
| flaw.
| |
| | cowherds, a cow protection program is
|
| 9. Milking should be a pleasurable
| |
| | threatened by constant turnover of staff
|
| experience for the cow.
| |
| | and may eventually collapse.
|
| * Milking techniques are unknown. This is
| |
| | * Standard of living and rate of turnover
|
| generally difficult to assess without
| |
| | among the cowherds is unknown.
|
| being on-site. There seem to be enough
| |
| | MEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH
|
| cowherds to prevent the necessity of
| |
| | 26. A goshalla should use its cow
|
| machine milking.
| |
| | protection program as a means of
|
| 10. Milk production should not be
| |
| | attracting the public to Krsna
|
| developed primarily as a profit-making
| |
| | consciousness.
|
| venture. "You say we must have a gosala
| |
| | *Difficult to assess at this point.
|
| trust, that is our real purpose.
| |
| | 27. Activities of the cow protection
|
| krsi-goraksya-vanijyam vaisya karma
| |
| | program should be highlighted on
|
| svabhava-jam, [Bg 18.44]. Where there is
| |
| | community websites and during religious
|
| agriculture there must be cows. That is
| |
| | holidays and festivals such as Gaura
|
| our mission: Cow protection and
| |
| | Purnima, Janmastami, Govardhana Puja and
|
| agriculture and if there is excess,
| |
| | Ratha Yatra. The Deities can be read
|
| trade. This is a no-profit scheme...
| |
| | accounts of the activities of the year,
|
| * It seems clear that this project has
| |
| | not only how much milk or burfi was
|
| been developed primarily as a
| |
| | produced, but also how many oxen were
|
| profit-making venture, which is why most
| |
| | trained, how much area they plowed, how
|
| of the calves are missing. It's simply
| |
| | much wood they hauled, how many bushels
|
| not profitable to keep them.
| |
| | of vegetables they produced, etc
|
| Profit-motive, especially in a
| |
| | showcasing the offerings of the animals
|
| competitive capitalist system, always
| |
| | to the Lord.
|
| endangers the welfare of cows. (See also
| |
| | * Unknown.
|
| my article, "Why Commercial Dairies Can't
| |
| | 28. A cow protection program should
|
| Stop Killing," Back To Godhead, Vol. 30,
| |
| | provide opportunity for members' input
|
| No 6, 1996.)
| |
| | and participation. This can be achieved
|
| TRAINING OF OXEN OR BULLOCKS
| |
| | through questionnaires, newsletters,
|
| 11. In general, all bull calves should be
| |
| | workshops, and pre-festival meetings.
|
| trained to work. As Srila Prabhupada
| |
| | * Members are invited to come to the
|
| stated, "If you do not use the bulls for
| |
| | farm, and they exchange letters at Mother
|
| plowing, one day you will say, let us cut
| |
| | Cow's public website.
|
| their throats."
| |
| | CONCLUSION
|
| * Out of 70 animals, it appears that one
| |
| | Though established primarily as a
|
| ox is being trained to work.
| |
| | profit-making dairy, Mother Cow displays
|
| 12. No ox should be overworked or worked
| |
| | interest in some aspects cow protection.
|
| by force only.
| |
| | An informed membership can guide this
|
| * Not relevant at this point, since no
| |
| | interest to greater incorporation of the
|
| oxen are working.
| |
| | principles of Dharma, especially through
|
| 13. In general, bull calves should be
| |
| | proper protection, training and
|
| castrated by the time they are 1 year
| |
| | utilization of Father Bull, which will be
|
| old, or whatever age is appropriate for
| |
| | more in keeping with the practice of
|
| that breed. This can be done with minimum
| |
| | Krsna consciousness.
|
