The Truth About Cows and Farming

It is easy to blame the farmer for what happens in the countryside, but the farmer has to react to the market, and the market is dominated by the supermarkets.

50 years ago a farmer and his family could get a living on 200 acres with 50 cows. The flower meadows, never ploughed, would produce enough hay after flowering to feed the cows through the winter.

Then the supermarkets reduced the milk price paid to the farmer. So to survive, he had to double his cow numbers and plough up the flower meadows. This destroyed the habitat for ground-nesting birds. He had to plant improved varieties of grass so he could cut them twice a year to provide the hay for his 100 cows.

In doing this he altered the nature of the wildlife on the farm..

Who is responsible for habitat destruction and loss of species? The supermarkets giving cheap food to the people, or the farmer who has been forced to over-stock?

In 1950 there were 10.6 million cattle in the UK, with 50 million people and 4 million vehicles on the road. There were not many commercial flights.

In 2018 there were 9.9 million cattle, with 66.4 million people and 38 million vehicles on the road. 38 million commercial flights were registered.

I have found no data to support the claim that cattle that have been a game-changer for the world's climate.

(thanks RM)

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