Indoor cow cubicles upset Kiwis

[Sherrie]

Looks like some dairy farmers in NZ are planning to factory farm cows like what is done in the US:

Indoor cow cubicles upset Kiwis (http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/world/6574958/indoor-cow-cubicles-upset-kiwis/)

[mick]

is this type of farming done in Australia? I assume it would be given the commercial advantages.

What are the negative impacts?

Well lets see, firstly the cows are taken off their natural grass feed, and instead are given grains high in omega 6's. Because they are taken off their natural food source, they develop sickness and so then they are pumped full of hormones to stop them getting sick. All of which ends up in your pasteurised milk and diary products.

Which is why raw milk is becoming more and more popular these days.

[Sherrie]

Cows and sheep are grassfed here, pigs are but now its starting to be more hip to have free range pigs and chickens so that's improving. How ever stock are often supplemented with hay etc particularly during summer months and some are given a feed mix in the last few weeks before slaughter to fatten them up.

[mick]

Well I'm glad to hear that I'll be able to get grass fed met quite easily in oz. the stuff I get here is terrible, all grain fed. Its funny, I ended up going to the supermarket and buying the "low quality imports" from New Zealand which are half the price of the local grain fed korean stuff.

Theres some interesting stuff going on with raw milk in Australia, I'll post it up in another thread. Thanks Sherrie.

[Sherrie]

Everywhere I turn here are grassfed stock (I live in the country). I bought half a lamb recently from a local butcher whom said all his meat comes from his farm 10 mins away. Having said that, the lamb seemed a tad old (could explain why it was on special) but hey better then stock raised in sheds or meat in supermarkets that have been stored in vacuum sealed packs for so many months! :)