Guest guest Posted January 4, 1999 Report Share Posted January 4, 1999 Dear Prabhus, Here is a response from New Varshan farm. Please comment. Please include the address from sender which is: building (AT) xtra (DOT) co.nz Your seervant, Chayadevi To Balabhadra Prabhu iscowp (AT) ovnet (DOT) com >From Ananta Krsna Dasi New Varshan Farm Auckland New Zealand. 4th January 1999. Dear Prabhu, Please accept my humble obeisance's. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Thankyou for the opportunity to comment on the paper being put together by yourself and others regarding cow protection guidelines for ISKCON farms. Overall we feel that this is a much needed and excellent document and agree enthusiastically with 98% of it! However, please find attached some comments and suggestions on a few issues that affect us here in New Zealand. General. It seems that many proposals have been written because there has been a problem in that area in a specific country. Some issues are not relevant for us because of our weather conditions, pasture differences, type of cows, etc. However, I will just comment on issues that do concern us and elaborate on some I agree with to highlight problems that I've experienced here. 4 Feeding (3) Care and attention needs to be taken by kitchen staff that the cow bucket contains only food fit for her. Cows should not be offered garlands (to eat), potato peelers, sink plugs, floor sweepings, pot scrubs or burnt food such as burnt chaunces, burnt custard. Only left overs and vegetable peelings. 4 Not allowed (1) Tethering bullocks by the nose. Suggest that the rope go around the horns then through the nose if a halter is not enough. (3a) Care needs to be taken if purchasing grains for the cows as many merchants now bulk up feed with animal by products. (3c) That the cow tenderer monitor carefully all scraps from the kitchen and restaurant. Even cows on partial scrap diet can get so unhealthily fat. 5.Milking 3a. In NZ, the cows produce 30 litres per day over 2 milkings. The colostrum is finished in the first 5 milkings (3 days). After this, we restrict our calves to 3 good feeds per day. The combination of a dairy cow on a rich diet producing a large quantity of milk with a young calf that doesn't know when to stop produces a very sick calf. 3c In NZ, we start gradual weaning after 3 months. Our calves are already eating fresh clover and very energetic. The mothers are naturally pushing them away by then. For us here, 6 months is far too long. Depending on the calf, cow, and time of year, we generally drop them back to one feed per day at 10 weeks and they are weaned totally at 20 weeks. Not Allowed. 2 b. Why? In NZ, we have a system that has worked well here for 15 years. The cow comes into the bail, she has her feed whilst the cups are on. In that time she is groomed and checked over for any injuries. If she has a young calf, they are usually on one quarter and the machine on the other 3. Our machines here in NZ do not suck as hard as the calf and they pulsate. It is not a continuous suck. The cows seem very content. They never kick off the cups. After the machine has finished, the calf is allowed any residue and is with mata for a good half hour afterwards whilst hosing out. What sort of machines have you experienced? Maybe they are different to the ones we have here. 3. Why? Although in NZ we haven't broken in any cows as yet to work, I see no reason if she isn't in calf or milking that she couldn't do some light cart work just as mares work. We have cows here that never have or will milk. So what will they do for their whole life? They simply get very fat and this leads to health problems with no exercise. 7. Travelling and Preaching Programs. 12.This seems like too much red tape. Surely if you have the right person for the job, then weekly reports would suffice. 11. Castration. Not allowed. 1. From our experience, we have, over the years used various methods. It seems that the discomfort for a 3 day old calf with a band around his small testicles lasts for 1-2 hours. Then they go numb and shrivel up. Their is no blood, no infection and no obvious signs such as weight loss etc. With a yearling bull however, he is far more in tune with his body and the trauma of anaesthetic, pain and blood loss, flies etc seems far worse than the band. Generally I find he loses weight and trust in me as being the horrible person who put him through it. Just when I'm trying to develop that trust in him. 13. Responsibility of Local Community 4.Cow Remains. Depending on the emotional attachment that the devotees have to the cow. This recycling needs to be done discretely, if at all. If many devotees have been chanting to her, garlands etc, then it is too gross and insensitive for the local butcher to come in with the chainsaw and saw her up for dog food. To use the leather maybe ok . So skin and bury. Just be sensitive to the whole community. Generally we prefer to bury the body and plant a tree in remembrance. If the cow or bullock has performed a lot of service we have a feast in their honour and we will give a few statistics on how many litres of milk she provided to the deities or how many years he worked the land, at the feast. This creates an appreciative mood amongst the community. IMPORTANT ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED. Guidelines for diseased and dying cows within ISKCON. Issue 1. A. Where a cow /bullock contracts a disease such as TB that, by local law demands they be destroyed at special slaughterhouses. Do we allow them to go? Or do we kill them ourselves to save the whole herd, or do we try and hide them? B. Where an animal reacts to the testing of TB but is showing absolutely no signs of the disease. This happened in 1990 at New Varshan. The reaction was to an avian TB spread by ducks. The authorities wanted to take her away. I demanded more comprehensive testing. She still came up +ve. So I hid her and when tested the next year, she came up clear. They admit that the test is only 60 - 70 % accurate. Often a cow is killed and when autopsied, no lesions are found. So how far do we go against the local law? In NZ they are very strict. Issue 2. If the cow gets old, skinny and weak. We look after her as best we can but unfortunately if non devotees see her, they report to the SPCA and want her put down. Our attitude is of course to make her as comfortable as possible and nurse till death, but there is the potential for the SPCA to enforce police action. At present we make sure the karmis cant see the cow. New Goverdhan had an unfortunate incident involving police etc. If not handled properly, this can give very bad PR for the community. Our policy here is that if the cow looks really bad then we take her to a devotee who has land and they keep her there out of sight. Issue 3. A cow is down for the count. It may take 3 - 5 days depending on its own reserves. Our feeling is that once determined that she will never get up again, then no more feed or water. Only a little canamrta and maha. Sometimes devotees want to give heaps of water and stuff grass in her. This seems to only prolong her suffering. What are your comments? Thankyou again for your efforts in producing a document that covers these issues worldwide. I hope these comments shed some light on our cow protection "down under" and look forward to your comments. Your servant, Ananta Krsna Dasi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 1999 Report Share Posted January 11, 1999 > > > 4 Feeding (3) Care and attention needs to be taken by kitchen staff that the > cow bucket contains only food fit for her. Cows should not be offered garlands > (to eat), potato peelers, sink plugs, floor sweepings, pot scrubs or burnt food > such as burnt chaunces, burnt custard. Only left overs and vegetable peelings. > These specifics can be added, but the key thing is that noone should be feeding stuff to the cows without the supervision of the primery cowherd Maybe say "small kitchen utensils" instead of peelers but whatever. > 4 Not allowed > > (1) Tethering bullocks by the nose. Suggest that the rope go around the horns > then through the nose if a halter is not enough. > We are getting into touchy territory here. The whole nose ring thing is being consciously avoided this year, so we might put this with that discussion for next year. > (3a) Care needs to be taken if purchasing grains for the cows as many merchants > now bulk up feed with animal by products. I think we covered this point from Ekadasi when he also brought it to our attention. > > > (3c) That the cow tenderer monitor carefully all scraps from the kitchen and > restaurant. Even cows on partial scrap diet can get so unhealthily fat. I think we have something to this effect already, although we may not specify why. To add as a reason why the cowherder is monitoring could be the peeler stuff as above and also this point that scraps can make cows unhealthily fat.. > > > 5.Milking > > 3a. In NZ, the cows produce 30 litres per day over 2 milkings. The colostrum is > finished in the first 5 milkings (3 days). After this, we restrict our calves > to 3 good feeds per day. The combination of a dairy cow on a rich diet > producing a large quantity of milk with a young calf that doesn't know when to > stop produces a very sick calf. The point is that calves shouldn't be left to unrestrictedly suckle the mother if she is of a breed meant to produce surplus milk? Good point, I think. > > > 3c In NZ, we start gradual weaning after 3 months. Our calves are already > eating fresh clover and very energetic. The mothers are naturally pushing them > away by then. For us here, 6 months is far too long. Depending on the calf, > cow, and time of year, we generally drop them back to one feed per day at 10 > weeks and they are weaned totally at 20 weeks. Out of my league on this one. Maybe ask Ranaka how it does it in NV for some relativity. > > > Not Allowed. 2 b. Why? In NZ, we have a system that has worked well here for 15 > years. The cow comes into the bail, she has her feed whilst the cups are on. In > that time she is groomed and checked over for any injuries. If she has a young > calf, they are usually on one quarter and the machine on the other 3. Our > machines here in NZ do not suck as hard as the calf and they pulsate. It is not > a continuous suck. The cows seem very content. They never kick off the cups. > After the machine has finished, the calf is allowed any residue and is with > mata for a good half hour afterwards whilst hosing out. What sort of machines > have you experienced? Maybe they are different to the ones we have here. This is a reference to no milking machines? Assuming that is the case, the reason is that it makes milking too easy and it is too easy to just start breeding more cows than if the physical limitation of hand milking is there. The potential of out of balance breeding programs is too great. It is not the milking machines themselves that are bad, but the socioeconomic paradigm that they represent. It means less people have to be involved with the cows and they become depersonalised. I have personal observation of this at NV. I really think the potential for abuse is too high with milking machines. It starts to become more of a commercial enterprise which Srila Prabhupada has directly warned against. > > > 3. Why? Although in NZ we haven't broken in any cows as yet to work, I see no > reason if she isn't in calf or milking that she couldn't do some light cart > work just as mares work. We have cows here that never have or will milk. So > what will they do for their whole life? They simply get very fat and this leads > to health problems with no exercise. > Personally I am not so opposed to light work. It was Rohita wasn't it who was pretty strong on the issue? I think again it is the potential for abuse that is being avoided here. I'm open to the suggestion of some work if there are clear limitations. > 7. Travelling and Preaching Programs. > > 12.This seems like too much red tape. Surely if you have the right person for > the job, then weekly reports would suffice. > > 11. Castration. > > Not allowed. 1. From our experience, we have, over the years used various > methods. It seems that the discomfort for a 3 day old calf with a band around > his small testicles lasts for 1-2 hours. Then they go numb and shrivel up. > Their is no blood, no infection and no obvious signs such as weight loss etc. > With a yearling bull however, he is far more in tune with his body and the > trauma of anaesthetic, pain and blood loss, flies etc seems far worse than the > band. Generally I find he loses weight and trust in me as being the horrible > person who put him through it. Just when I'm trying to develop that trust in > him. The physical development of an oxen from the perspective of work potential is better if they are allowed to have their testicles for part of their development. That overweighs later temporary trauma. Having a professional come in and perform the deed would skirt the loss of trust issue, and crimping avoids the loss of blood , flies, etc. > > > 13. Responsibility of Local Community > > 4.Cow Remains. Depending on the emotional attachment that the devotees have to > the cow. This recycling needs to be done discretely, if at all. If many > devotees have been chanting to her, garlands etc, then it is too gross and > insensitive for the local butcher to come in with the chainsaw and saw her up > for dog food. To use the leather maybe ok . So skin and bury. Just be sensitive > to the whole community. Generally we prefer to bury the body and plant a tree > in remembrance. If the cow or bullock has performed a lot of service we have a > feast in their honour and we will give a few statistics on how many litres of > milk she provided to the deities or how many years he worked the land, at the > feast. This creates an appreciative mood amongst the community. In low economic level areas, the recycling can be a significant factor, so can't be just ignored, even though it isn't a big issue in more affluent areas. The mood thing is important, and it is a sensitive issue that does need to be handled with discretion according to particular circumstances. > > > IMPORTANT ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED. > > Guidelines for diseased and dying cows within ISKCON. > > Issue 1. A. Where a cow /bullock contracts a disease such as TB that, by local > law demands they be destroyed at special slaughterhouses. Do we allow them to > go? Or do we kill them ourselves to save the whole herd, or do we try and hide > them? Good question. Personally, if it is a forced destruction, I would advise devotees to let the authorities actually perform the deed. I don't think there is any time a devotee should kill a cow. As for complying with local laws, I think officially we have to recommend doing that. To recommend not complying with local authorities as a matter of policy is dangerous ground. If the animal is actually infectious, then it behooves the devotees to at minimum isolate the animal from other devotee animals. > > > B. Where an animal reacts to the testing of TB but is showing absolutely no > signs of the disease. This happened in 1990 at New Varshan. The reaction was to > an avian TB spread by ducks. The authorities wanted to take her away. I > demanded more comprehensive testing. She still came up +ve. So I hid her and > when tested the next year, she came up clear. They admit that the test is only > 60 - 70 % accurate. Often a cow is killed and when autopsied, no lesions are > found. So how far do we go against the local law? In NZ they are very strict. The info about avian TB is good to know. > > > Issue 2. If the cow gets old, skinny and weak. We look after her as best we can > but unfortunately if non devotees see her, they report to the SPCA and want her > put down. Our attitude is of course to make her as comfortable as possible and > nurse till death, but there is the potential for the SPCA to enforce police > action. At present we make sure the karmis cant see the cow. New Goverdhan had > an unfortunate incident involving police etc. If not handled properly, this can > give very bad PR for the community. Our policy here is that if the cow looks > really bad then we take her to a devotee who has land and they keep her there > out of sight. Good idea. We have also had problems with natural death and neighbors at NV. If the general program is strong, then it is less of an issue. > > > Issue 3. A cow is down for the count. It may take 3 - 5 days depending on its > own reserves. Our feeling is that once determined that she will never get up > again, then no more feed or water. Only a little canamrta and maha. Sometimes > devotees want to give heaps of water and stuff grass in her. This seems to only > prolong her suffering. What are your comments? Offer it to her and let her make her own decision but don't force it on her. > > > Thankyou again for your efforts in producing a document that covers these > issues worldwide. > > I hope these comments shed some light on our cow protection "down under" and > look forward to your comments. > > Your servant, > > Ananta Krsna Dasi. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 13, 1999 Report Share Posted January 13, 1999 Re: Response from New Zealand TextCOM2010603 (263 lines) Date:11-Jan-99 12:39 -0500 COM: Madhava Gosh (das) ACBSP (New Vrindavan - USA) <madhava.gosh.acbsp (AT) com (DOT) bbt.se> To:Cow (Protection and related issues) > Ananta Krsna Dasi 4 Feeding (3) Care and attention needs to be taken by kitchen staff that the cow bucket contains only food fit for her. Cows should not be offered garlands (to eat), potato peelers, sink plugs, floor sweepings, pot scrubs or burnt food such as burnt chaunces, burnt custard. Only left overs and vegetable peelings. > Madhava Gosh These specifics can be added, but the key thing is that no one should be feeding stuff to the cows without the supervision of the primery cowherd Maybe say "small kitchen utensils" instead of peelers but whatever. > Rohita dasa only the first sentence is essential. ___________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > 4 Not allowed > (1) Tethering bullocks by the nose. Suggest that the rope go around the horns then through the nose if a halter is not enough. > Madhava Gosh We are getting into touchy territory here. The whole nose ring thing is being consciously avoided this year, so we might put this with that discussion for next year. > Rohita dasa agreed with MG. ________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi (3a) Care needs to be taken if purchasing grains for the cows as many merchants now bulk up feed with animal by products. > Madhava Gosh I think we covered this point from Ekadasi when he also brought it to our attention. > Rohita dasa This was covered long ago under feeding; unless in my absence it could have been deleted. __________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > (3c) That the cow tenderer monitor carefully all scraps from the kitchen and restaurant. Even cows on partial scrap diet can get so unhealthily fat. > Madhava Gosh I think we have something to this effect already, although we may not specify why. To add as a reason why the cowherder is monitoring could be the peeler stuff as above and also this point that scraps can make cows unhealthily fat. > Rohita dasa If these localities are being managed properly there will not be much coming from them, if there is it is just a matter of giving to more animals or giving each individual cow less. This is the judgement of the head cowherder to oversee. _______________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > 5.Milking > 3a. In NZ, the cows produce 30 litres per day over 2 milkings. The colostrum is finished in the first 5 milkings (3 days). After this, we restrict our calves to 3 good feeds per day. The combination of a dairy cow on a rich diet producing a large quantity of milk with a young calf that doesn't know when to stop produces a very sick calf. > Madhava Gosh The point is that calves shouldn't be left to unrestrictedly suckle the mother if she is of a breed meant to produce surplus milk? Good point, I think. > Rohita dasa In another communique sent to this conference on this topic; to which I add, when I am milking cows noted for high fat content the best method is to give their calf to a 'nurse cow' (ususally a cow feeding its owne calf or to one that a poorer milker - not as high in fat or with a lower production level). _________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > 3c In NZ, we start gradual weaning after 3 months. Our calves are already eating fresh clover and very energetic. The mothers are naturally pushing them away by then. For us here, 6 months is far too long. Depending on the calf, cow, and time of year, we generally drop them back to one feed per day at 10 weeks and they are weaned totally at 20 weeks. > Madhava Gosh Out of my league on this one. Maybe ask Ranaka how it does it in NV for some relativity. > Rohita dasa Mother Ananta Krsna dasi is feeding cows on very rich soil whereas we here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast are feeding on a poor sandy soil (ridge top). We started out following the government recommendations, which match her method very well. Our conditions required that longer peroid time peroid to sustain require growth otherwise we experience calves stopping growth shortly after weaning and not starting growth again until about three. In England they feed even longer than us. _____________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > Not Allowed. 2 b. Why? In NZ, we have a system that has worked well here for 15 years. The cow comes into the bail, she has her feed whilst the cups are on. In that time she is groomed and checked over for any injuries. If she has a young calf, they are usually on one quarter and the machine on the other 3. Our machines here in NZ do not suck as hard as the calf and they pulsate. It is not a continuous suck. The cows seem very content. They never kick off the cups. After the machine has finished, the calf is allowed any residue and is with mata for a good half hour afterwards whilst hosing out. What sort of machines have you experienced? Maybe they are different to the ones we have here. > Madhava Gosh This is a reference to no milking machines? Assuming that is the case, the reason is that it makes milking too easy and it is too easy to just start breeding more cows than if the physical limitation of hand milking is there. The potential of out of balance breeding programs is too great. It is not the milking machines themselves that are bad, but the socioeconomic paradigm that they represent. It means less people have to be involved with the cows and they become depersonalised. I have personal observation of this at NV. I really think the potential for abuse is too high with milking machines. It starts to become more of a commercial enterprise which Srila Prabhupada has directly warned against. > Rohita dasa I have milked by hand forover 20 years, usually peope purchase cheap machines that require constant adjustment and monitoring in order to obtain the required results. I agree with MG about its high potential for abuse. Personally for me milking by hand is what has calmed the savage beast in me, I very much relish it, it ranks up there with the mediation of japa mala. __________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > 3. Why? Although in NZ we haven't broken in any cows as yet to work, I see no reason if she isn't in calf or milking that she couldn't do some light cart work just as mares work. We have cows here that never have or will milk. So what will they do for their whole life? They simply get very fat and this leads to health problems with no exercise. > Madhava Gosh Personally I am not so opposed to light work. It was Rohita wasn't it who was pretty strong on the issue? I think again it is the potential for abuse that is being avoided here. I'm open to the suggestion of some work if there are clear limitations. > Rohita dasa I think I have been mis-understood here. I am strong on; that all animals being trained, meaning train to lead and understanding of commands, also gotten use to their feet being handled. Oxen receive additional training in the field of work (ploughing, pumping ect.) The training of cows to do work as an oxen is suited to do should only be done when there is no oxen, as a matter of necessity - and then not heavy. Her body is not of the proper conformation, wrong bone shape and musculature. There should be no thought of training cows when most farms do not even have working ox, although they have many castrated male animals unengaged. ______________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > 12.This seems like too much red tape. Surely if you have the right person for the job, then weekly reports would suffice. > Rohita dasa Many farms (the cows and their care givers) have been experiencing lack of attention from those in management. The above is an attempt to involve them (the management - all levels). > Ananta Krsna Dasi > 11. Castration. > Not allowed. 1. From our experience, we have, over the years used various methods. It seems that the discomfort for a 3 day old calf with a band around his small testicles lasts for 1-2 hours. Then they go numb and shrivel up. Their is no blood, no infection and no obvious signs such as weight loss etc. With a yearling bull however, he is far more in tune with his body and the trauma of anaesthetic, pain and blood loss, flies etc seems far worse than the band. Generally I find he loses weight and trust in me as being the horrible person who put him through it. Just when I'm trying to develop that trust in him. > Madhava Gosh The physical development of an oxen from the perspective of work potential is better if they are allowed to have their testicles for part of their development. That overweighs later temporary trauma. Having a professional come in and perform the deed would skirt the loss of trust issue, and crimping avoids the loss of blood , flies, etc. > Rohita dasa On MG first point I agree. As also with crimping as the best method for the fly and blood loss problems. Although I have not had much experience in working oxen I have casterated many bulls both young and old (using all methods- band, knife and crimping), and find they still trust me regardless of method used. In 1995 two 12 year old bulls were done (taken to a vet. because of their size) they expereince some trauma and have at no time have they been hard to handle. They were casterated because we wished to stop completely all breeding because of our large herd size. Since then we have not had any calves born here. > Ananta Krsna Dasi > 13. Responsibility of Local Community > 4.Cow Remains. Depending on the emotional attachment that the devotees have to the cow. This recycling needs to be done discretely, if at all. If many devotees have been chanting to her, garlands etc, then it is too gross and insensitive for the local butcher to come in with the chainsaw and saw her up for dog food. To use the leather maybe ok . So skin and bury. Just be sensitive to the whole community. Generally we prefer to bury the body and plant a tree in remembrance. If the cow or bullock has performed a lot of service we have a feast in their honour and we will give a few statistics on how many litres of milk she provided to the deities or how many years he worked the land, at the feast. This creates an appreciative mood amongst the community. > Madhava Gosh In low economic level areas, the recycling can be a significant factor, so can't be just ignored, even though it isn't a big issue in more affluent areas. The mood thing is important, and it is a sensitive issue that does need to be handled with discretion according to particular circumstances. > Rohita dasa Agreed. > Ananta Krsna Dasi > IMPORTANT ISSUES NOT ADDRESSED. > > Guidelines for diseased and dying cows within ISKCON. > > Issue 1. A. Where a cow /bullock contracts a disease such as TB that, by local law demands they be destroyed at special slaughterhouses. Do we allow them to go? Or do we kill them ourselves to save the whole herd, or do we try and hide them? > Madhava Gosh Good question. Personally, if it is a forced destruction, I would advise devotees to let the authorities actually perform the deed. I don't think there is any time a devotee should kill a cow. As for complying with local laws, I think officially we have to recommend doing that. To recommend not complying with local authorities as a matter of policy is dangerous ground. If the animal is actually infectious, then it behooves the devotees to at minimum isolate the animal from other devotee animals. > Rohita dasa >From practical expereince of this situation: When I was residing at the Bridesville Farm in 1974 we asked this question of Srila Prabhupada, because we were faced with this problem. We were in a quaranteed area for a disease called Blue Tongue (cows are carriers and get a fever, 98% of all sheep who are infected die within 48 hours), a number of our cows tested positive for it. Remedy- kill all carriers an re-emburse based on animals value from an examination by vet., livestock judge and meat inspector, then whole animal is burnt. Prabhupada's direction: 1. Do not hinder/help any official. 2. Do not take re-embursement. 3. Observe to see they do not abuse in their course of duty. We did not help them collect all animals (one of the testers was gored) or participated in their testing. The cows could smell meat on the testers sweat and upon the arrival of the testers all animals ran to the opposite end of the field, trying hard to resist rounding up. They did not test any immature animal and when they were going to take a calf born of an infected cow we told them they must test before. As it turned out the calf was negative, she had drank milk from a different cow, who was negative, and had thus received some immunity. ______________________________ > Ananta Krsna Dasi > B. Where an animal reacts to the testing of TB but is showing absolutely no signs of the disease. This happened in 1990 at New Varshan. The reaction was to an avian TB spread by ducks. The authorities wanted to take her away. I demanded more comprehensive testing. She still came up +ve. So I hid her and when tested the next year, she came up clear. They admit that the test is only 60 - 70 % accurate. Often a cow is killed and when autopsied, no lesions are found. So how far do we go against the local law? In NZ they are very strict. > Madhava Gosh The info about avian TB is good to know. > Rohita dasa Prabhupada's direction: 1. Do not hinder/help any official. They are representives of Krishna although they are also rascals. 2. Do not take re-embursement. It ties us into their karma. 3. Observe to see they do not abuse in their course of duty. In your case, you could have asked for another test or had another party do the testing (hired someone to do a test) for conformation. It appears that either their testing procedure is faulty or that it is not suited to that particular form of TB. I would suggest that someone could arrange to check the literature on the various methods of testing of different TB types and approach the appropriate authorities to have the method changed. Thus other animals besides our own may be saved un-needed harm. > Ananta Krsna Dasi Issue 2. If the cow gets old, skinny and weak. We look after her as best we can but unfortunately if non devotees see her, they report to the SPCA and want her put down. Our attitude is of course to make her as comfortable as possible and nurse till death, but there is the potential for the SPCA to enforce police action. At present we make sure the karmis cant see the cow. New Goverdhan had an unfortunate incident involving police etc. If not handled properly, this can give very bad PR for the community. Our policy here is that if the cow looks really bad then we take her to a devotee who has land and they keep her there out of sight. > Madhava Gosh Good idea. We have also had problems with natural death and neighbors at NV. If the general program is strong, then it is less of an issue. > Rohita dasa Agreed. We generally do not allow even local devotees to become aware as some of them are of similar mind as our neighbours. > Ananta Krsna Dasi > Issue 3. A cow is down for the count. It may take 3 - 5 days depending on its own reserves. Our feeling is that once determined that she will never get up again, then no more feed or water. Only a little canamrta and maha. Sometimes devotees want to give heaps of water and stuff grass in her. This seems to only prolong her suffering. What are your comments? > Madhava Gosh Offer it to her and let her make her own decision but don't force it on her. > Rohita dasa Agreed with MG. > Ananta Krsna Dasi > Thank you again for your efforts in producing a document that covers these issues worldwide. > > I hope these comments shed some light on our cow protection "down under" and look forward to your comments. 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Guest guest Posted January 25, 1999 Report Share Posted January 25, 1999 > Prabhupada's direction: > 1. Do not hinder/help any official. > 2. Do not take re-embursement. > 3. Observe to see they do not abuse in their course of duty. Good practical advice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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