I'm vegan so I know everyone passing by will click "disagree". My choice wasn't for health but for ethical reasons. If farming here in NZ and abroad protected the rights of animals, I wouldn't mind so much but a large percentage of farmers do not care for honest animal welfare. The bottom line is "dollar". Meateaters tend to forget how much of a sacrifice an animal gives to them. All they care for is a full and satisfied belly; "screw how it gets to my table" There is also the environmental impact of animal farming and meat eating that no one cares to address. Scientific evidence is provided online (non-vegan sites) in relation to the output of methane gases. You don't have to be a mathematician to figure out what the air qualilty and our environment will be like in 10 years time with a growing population. The more people we have the more meateaters to feed thus more cattle being produced and more land to rear animals... it goes on and on. It's not just animal welfare at stake, it's our very own livelihoods as well. Do some real research before condemning my thoughts. Take the red pill and see how far the rabbit hole goes.
Jesus wept... I dont know how many people there are like me in NZ but to be honest i couldnt give a flying fanny where my Beef, Eegs, Chicken, Pork, Vegetables, Fruit, Milk, Salt, Pepper and whatever else comes from or how its farmed or killed or whatever... As long as its on the shelf in the supermarket when i go to get it... And as far as this cattle housing malarkey goes... really people, wake up. it seems no matter what farmers do there will allways be some part of the nation thats going to be all up in arms about it, and thats all good, we are allowed to have our opionion.. sweet as. But for christ sake you know what? If you really dont like it that much then maybe just go and get your own farm and do it yourself and stop whining and whinging about it, its like a broken record.... Enough already.
And yes! Ever so often, I catch my own fish - but not from the supermarket!
New Vegetarian - Bless you!! It is barbaric and cruel!! How could it not be?? Humans only see a juicy steak! However, the animals do strike back - look at the rate of cancer, diebetes and heart disease that prevails in the western world! And the pollution and degradation of the land and the water-ways! All animal related products should come with health warnings and they should be loaded with a green tax, as in user pays!! In Europe Vegetarism is on the rise and its not just a fad! I have been vege for 30yrs and eat dairy sparingly, life is good - people need to think more about origion and the journey of each thing on their plate! Good luck New Vege - you have seen the light!! We have a collective responsibility for the animals and the environment on planet earth!!
That's it! No more meat for me. I have slowly but surely been eating less meat as I realise just how horrific the whole trade in animal flesh is. I have reached the stage where I am convinced that it is time for the human race to die out and leave the planet to the creatures who cause no harm to anyone or anything, unlike people who are the most dangerous and destructive force on the planet, showing neither empathy nor respect for either human or animal life. We bleat about climate change for which we are responsible because we fail to respect the balance of nature. Ignorance of the lessons of history will result in the inevitable decline in the of quality of life for everyone and everything on the planet. We will always reap what we sow, that is an irrefutable law of life. The ill treatment of animals, like that of children and the aged, is the mark of barbarism and will have disastrous results for everyone in the long term as we increasingly sink back into the Dark Ages where all life was cheap. Maybe we are already there!
i live next to that piggery that mike king visited near Levin, and also involved in cleaning up the mess from another piggey in levin that just poluted the surrounding lake. my point is, if we were to look beyon just pigs and look how other animals are being penned and raised .i.e. chooks,and also how beef is being proccessed at the works? that would give new zealand something to think about (GROUSE)
This type of farming requires expensive buildings and food . The feed lots in the US use grain which is produced efficiently and cheaply there. Not so in New Zealand.Drive through pastoral lands here . Youi don't see unhappy cows, This "factory farming" is not only cruel ,it's also inefficient.
It's not just the fact of cubicle farming, it's what it means as another step in the "corporate-isation" of agriculture in this country. OK this, and what is next? OK this, based on the pictures, and how small will the stalls be in a year? In 5 years? OK this, and how many pasture farms will be left in 5 years? In 10? Just because it is the norm overseas (Europe) doesn't mean it should become mainstream here. I've spoken to Europeans who know a bit about their farming practices, and it sounds bleak.(In terms of animal welfare and end product.) Why do you think NZ produce is so well received overseas? Because it comes from a long way away and is thus "exotic"? (I don't think so.) It is interesting that one Southland farmer seen interviewed, who actually claims to run this type of operation, is a European immigrant, who has apparently brought this "norm" with him. Why don't we just approve any "norm" that anyone brings with them, from anywhere in the world? I totally support the idea of any farm animal having access to a barn/sheltered area during the winter. Let them have that choice.
One point that hasn't been raised is that the Mackenzie is just not suited for dairy farming, either in barns or outside. This is a unique high country landscape, one of only a handful of intermontane basins in the world. There are plans to irrigate areas of the basin between Lake Pukaki and Tekapo and turn it into a green monoculture like the area around Lake Ohau and Omararama. Farming of this type is not suitable for this area - we must protect these unique landscapes and ecosystems from being turned into yet more cow pastures. If you haven't visited the Mackenzie I suggest you do so soon - before it is gone.
We are busy watching horrible TV footage of pigs being penned and the distress they are going through and thought how disgusting, and now dairy cows in pens in barns. Come on farmers, whos wet dream was this one. Was this a stupid idea that sprang to mind while watching the pig fiasco. If so where is the humanity and love of the animals you so graciously preach each time a TV camera is close. Yeah right. They are just money making machine for the farmers and thats the end of it. Why else go into the farming business if it not to make a profit at all costs. If the argument is put forth that the cows need to be in a barn because of the cold then I suggest that is the wrong place for dairy and it should go back to sheep. We have a large underpopulated country with masses of open space in areas not snowed over for a good deal of the winter but once again greedy farmers all changing to dairy even in unsuitable places and make the poor cows pay for it by being penned. Wait till Fontera spits the dummy and then all the farmers will cry foul and expect the rest of NZ to bail then out of the Poooooo.