Happy cows

G

Glowworm

Senior Member
Location
Sweden
I bet most of you have never seen anything like this. It’s called ”kosläpp” (pronunced kooslepp) or in English ”cow release”.

During the long cold winter months in Sweden dairy cattle are kept in the farmyard barns. Then around this time of year they’re let out to pasture.

It’s a big popular event and many farms belonging to the big dairy companies arrange open days where you can visit the farm, see many of the animals and farm equipment close up, get free samples of dairy produce and do other activities before watching the cows come out of the barn for the first time after being inside all winter.

There are always large crowds and I usually meet my daughter and grandsons and we have a family picnic but the last two kosläpp have been online only due to Covid

 

SetWave said:
Darn. She responded that the dairy industry wants to keep the cows indoors year round now. Similar to how many are treated here in the US. Why am I not surprised?!? :mad:
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They may want to do this but I doubt it will happen in the foreseeable future.

According to The Swedish Board of Agriculture regulations all cattle must be allowed out to pasture a certain number of months from April until October. This varies of course depending on where in Sweden you are. April in the far north still means snow.

Considering Swedish animal welfare legislation I don’t see any changes coming soon.
 
Thanks, that was a great video.
Cows are far more interesting than most people think, I think that keeping them indoors would be very hard on them.

My grandfather in Texas had a couple dozen cattle on his property. We used to visit and one Sunday morning I noticed that none of them were visible from the yard. When I asked my grandfather where they were, he told me that they had gone to church. About 1/2 mile away at the edge of his property was a Tabernacle where a local church held services and sure enough when I walked down there, all those cows were standing at the fence like taking in the sermon and the music.
 
I'm half Swedish but that has nothing to do with Swedish cows, I don't think? Anyway, my name is Elsie and there once was a popular company here in USA Wisconsin called Bordens Dairy that had an ad with a pretty, human looking cow named Elsie. Well, one day when my mother was walking to the store, the little sister of a boy who knew me stopped her and asked her if she was Elsie the cow's mother? lol I don't know what my mother's answer was, but I remember that I didn't know whether to laugh or be embarrassed.
 
As the holder of a certificate in Dairying, (Distinction), I may be the man to answer anyone's questions, such as yes, young cattle may lick your hands because of the salt, or they could be used to sucking milk from a bucket where the farmer puts his fingers in their mouth to simulate sucking from a teat on the udder!!!!
Modern farming methods may raise ethical issues, though it should be remembered cattle can suffer with fierce sun damaging the skin, and of course are not too happy if it gets too hot outside sometimes, (plus flies and other insects drive them up the wall :( ).
 
Call me a party pooper if you must, but this thread raises an ethical question in me. Happiness is an emotion as demonstrated by the cows kicking up their legs, and if cows can have emotions, they must include fear and terror, especially before being slaughtered for meat. Burgers anyone?
 
Chet said:
Call me a party pooper if you must, but this thread raises an ethical question in me. Happiness is an emotion as demonstrated by the cows kicking up their legs, and if cows can have emotions, they must include fear and terror, especially before being slaughtered for meat. Burgers anyone?
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As a teenager I had those same feelings on our family farm, but, (there's always a "but" of course), once you realised the choice in a commercial sense was between sending dear old "Dolly" the cow off for slaughter at the end of her productive life, and the farm remaining viable economically, or accepting your farm being filled up with geriatric and unproductive dairy cows, and being completely uneconomic, as you attempt to nurse them along to die of old age.
Cows, sheep and other farm animals will have emotions, but, (again), we can't assume they're the same as human emotions, and as herd animals, no doubt their ancestors being prey animals for Sabre tooth tigers, lions and the like, found mankind protecting them from predation a massive boon you'd have to admit, so their choice as "wild cattle" etc., wasn't between being slaughtered and enjoying a happy old age, but death by being chased and eaten by carnivorous predators, and/or dying due to a host of diseases.
Your choice of course, BUT, which would you prefer, being sent for what should be, (done properly), a humane slaughter, where apprehension is maybe not a feature, and being chased by a lion or tiger, knowing you couldn't escape? :(

I won't go for the burger offer thanks, unless I'm very hungry, though if you make an offer of a steak, yes please :) .
 
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