Earlier this month it was announced that researchers from China’s Northwest University of Agricultural and Forestry Science and Technology have managed to clone what they proudly referred to as “super cows”. The scientists behind this terribleness are claiming that the three calves who have been cloned so far would be capable of producing about 18 tons of milk per year, or 100 tons of milk in their lifetime, which is nearly 1.7 times the amount of milk the average cow exploited in the dairy industry is currently forced to produce. The program’s lead scientist, Jin Yaping, said that they plan to raise a herd of 1,000 super cows in two to three years.
Cows in the dairy industry are already being pushed to the extreme emotionally and physically in order to produce more milk. The only thing that matters in the industry’s eyes is their milk production levels, and the cows themselves are “a minor interference”. Only that these “minor interferences” are suffering their entire lives. And now they may suffer even more from producing even more milk.
Probably even more cows would suffer from Ketosis. Ketosis (Acetonemia) is a very common disease that occurs during early lactation and is due to the cow’s metabolism being extremely manipulated in order to sustain high milk yield. Due to the demands placed on the cows, their bodies divert all their energy to produce milk, meaning, they metabolize their own body fat to make milk.
Cows with Ketosis become progressively depressed and lethargic. In severe cases, cows lose weight, become dehydrated, and show nervous, agitated behaviour such as delirium, bellowing and walking in circles.
Probably even more cows would suffer from Laminitis. Cows have an abnormally large udder which distorts the gait and posture of the cow’s hind limbs. So the predisposition to foot damage, along with the fact that they are always standing on concrete, leads to lameness, which causes a very painful foot disorder called Laminitis.
Probably even more cows would suffer from Mastitis. Being forced to produce large quantities of milk, day after day, wears the cows out very quickly, making them more susceptible to infections such as bloat and Mastitis which is a very painful bacterial infection of the udder that causes inflammation and swelling.
Every day, millions of cows suffer because they are treated as production machines in the milk industry, with no regard to their emotional and physical needs. And billions of animals are suffering similar fates in other exploitation industries.
Humans prove again and again that profits, taste preferences, convenience and amusement, are much more important to them than anything else.
Most of them are not even willing to hear the facts and listen to the arguments, not to mention to stop financing animal abuse.
All these exploitation systems will exist, and might get even worse, as long as humans exist.
In order to prevent super cows, super chickens, super pigs, super sheeps and super fishes, we need a super solution.