Author Topic: Super dairy (Read 9544 times)

Wizard · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2010, 09:19:35 am »

I am off to Ruskington on Sunday to look at a Land Rover with David.I shall come back via Nocton and Bardney to Wragby Bluddi L Wiz will be closed on Sunday Drat! Then I'll go up to Hainton and into Sixhills.Stop at David's for coffee and come home via Binbrook.That should make a nice morning out don't you think

MiriMaran · « **Reply #17 on:** March 25, 2010, 07:24:27 pm »

Sounds good to me.

Jackie · « **Reply #18 on:** March 28, 2010, 02:54:32 pm »

Id love to think that what the people of Britain do willmake any difference to this idea but it wont you know.
Chances are that they already have the go ahead for this and asking the public about it is fluff to apease us.

Wizard · « **Reply #19 on:** March 28, 2010, 07:22:41 pm »

Did you watch Country File? There is so much for and against but I do feel that milk from british herds must be better than from Bulgaria where we have no control over animals or the milk.All the carbon footprint persons will have much to say?

MiriMaran · « **Reply #20 on:** March 28, 2010, 07:34:41 pm »

Just watched Countryfile and didn't like the bloke from Nocton Dairies at all. Did anyone notice his answer when asked about the welfare of the animals? He started going on about all the cows wearing collars so they knew who was who - well woopy doo. The man missed an enormous opportunity to do some positive PR for the dairy - as far as I'm concerned he totally blew it.

Rosemary · « **Reply #21 on:** March 28, 2010, 10:21:50 pm »

I didn't see Countryfile tonight - had I known this would be on I would have watched it. I haven't posted on this thread before as I'm finding it a really difficult issue to get my head round.

I think the genie is out of the bottle with the dairy industry and I do feel a bit uncomfortable with some of the stuff that goes on BUT I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as pigs and poultry and the industry itself is trying to rectify some of the problems like infertility, bad feet and therefore short lives of dairy cows. I've been on a few dairy farms recently and I really don't believe that the conditions that the cows are kept in are bad.

On the farms I've been on, the cows are loose housed in light, well ventilated sheds so can move around, the floors are kept clean, the beds are rubber with sawdust, they have access to good quality feed that maintains their body condition and company of their own kind. OK, they aren't at grass but I don't believe their behaviour is that much different loose housed to being at grass. The cows generally wear pedometers so that the dairyman can monitor their behaviour and milk yield to pick up any potential problems quickly - I don't think that's a bad thing. And the farmers have a genuine affection for the animals - they know them, and their mammys.

I'm not saying I want British milk at all costs and I suppose I'd rather it was 81 family farms with 100 cows, but if that's not possible, maybe this option isn't so bad.

Wizard · « **Reply #22 on:** March 29, 2010, 09:44:46 am »

Rosemary I think you are right cows are a different thing to other animals in respect that if they are not well kept they are not very cost effective.There was a woman on who no matter what was done she would be anti She was definitely a NIMBY.This project is at an estimated cost of 5 million quid and will bring work to a good number of people indirectly as well as the resident vet and 80 workers. Like farmers to grow Lucerne etc; The matter of effluent was raised The cows are to be kept on sand beds and the sand washed to separate the dung from the sand and reused.They propose to use methane digesters to generate enough electricity for themselves and a 1000 homes as well.They visited a couple of farms with very large herds and the cows looked very well and happy but there is always some folk who are never happy.Rosemary I now admit I don't know about but several people on here talk about missed programs they can get a replay on the computer from BBC but I don't know how perhaps someone will come on and tell you.