behalf of dairies

["robert and carla lawson" <robandcarla@hotmail.com>]

this will be tounge in cheek at the end but hey I can't help it I love a 
great steak!
just thought I would let you all know I helped mom and pop on our 400 acre 
dairy. Our Cows were well taken care off. We scraped the Manure from the 
barn 2x per week. Our cows were not allowed within 100yards of the mess. We 
had a trench for the manure. every so often we would pull some of the manure 
from the trench and spread it on crop fields. There were certain times of 
the year that we did this to avoid a HUGE smell and to prevent runoff into 
the creek that ran through the middle of our property. The only problem we 
had was getting the cows to stay out of mucky areas and corn fields. The 
mucky muddy areas where the rain would run off at the barn protected their 
legs from heel flies.
When Bad weather approached they were kept up at night. We rotated pastures 
out to keep good pasture. And all our babies were born in the pasture not in 
a barn. I had spent many nights waiting for vets to come and help a cow and 
go to school the next morning. I have cried over baby calves that I just 
couldn't get over an illness. I stayed with cows during diffacult labor and 
pulled a few calves in where ever mom chose to lay. My most memorable was a 
ditch in the snow and it was freezing. Calf was doped up with some JD and I 
had to go finish cleaning the barn for the evening milking.
so yes I am a bit defensive here. Yes I have seen many feed lots to many in 
fact. But I can honestly say one thing I raised my Calves to be good milk 
cows the honest way.And I am sad to say that in 1990 my parents folded. It 
broke my heart to see so many babies that I raised go to auction. 
Unfortunately yes there are many feed lots out there. and yes they are 
living in deplorable conditions. WELCOME TO AMERICA!
NO I am not a vegitarian. I love a nice steak, sorry but you can sit infront 
of me and MOO all day and show me pictures ... trust me I have seen it. But 
I will eat my dads cows... at least I know they didn't have steroids or was 
misstreated. Heck I will eat at Mc D's.. at least I know they are serving 
culled Dairy cows.. I stay away from that advertised Grain fed beef. There 
is your feed lot cows.
Carla (heading to Columbia Tn to the Lamplighter.. NOW THERE IS A STEAK!!!)
Ansata (hey don't forget to feed me....)
Haley (mom bring me back a slice of cheesecake!!)
Rob (rubing tummy for the meal he is about to get!)
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