Decent farmers are poor farmers with very rare exceptions where the brand is marketed as free range/cruelty free. Most livestock farmers are largely desensitized to animals as sentient beings.
Family farms aren't wealthy though, are they? And I wouldn't send my kin to be butchered. Unless you're talking about diary farms, which are exempt from my prior criticism since milk cows need TLC.
Ok, so you have worked dairy, and I cited that as an exception. Where is the disconnect? Beef ranchers don't have the luxury of knowing their animals, why would they? And they certainly can't afford to give them luxurious lives in the short time they exist on the planet. Sure, breeding stock has to remain healthy, but otherwise they're just a number. And I grew up in ag and presently have a small herd of cattle that are living their days in the lap of luxury. That's my source.
My mum and her partner run a reasonable sized beef stud and they absolutely care about each and every one of their animals, same with the other farmers I know. Just because you're desensitized or don't care, doesn't make it the norm.
And are your mum and partner financially independent from that operation? Also, where do you get off calling me desensitized? I just got done explaining that my cattle are essentially pets. You seem to have trouble with words.
Yes, they are financially independent from that operation. And I called you desensitized because you stated 'most livestock farmers are largely desensitized' then went on to state that you ran a herd making your lived experience the source of your opinions. What was I meant to infer?
I said I was raised in ag, I never claimed to run a herd. I have a herd now, and as I clearly mentioned, they are pampered. So I suppose you should have inferred what was typed, there was no ambiguity there.
Also, you'll excuse me if I don't believe you about your mum and partner, because they would be some of the most innovative beef farmers on the planet if they managed to survive solely on a herd of cattle and didn't maximize every square inch of land in the process. How many head? Let's see if the math adds up.
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u/fledgop 26d ago
Empathy would actually be putting the cows in rolling meadows to graze, like any decent farmer does anyway