Md. tightens livestock inspection rules after probe

The Maryland Department of Agriculture said today it has strengthened its livestock auction inspection policies after abuse allegations led to charges against the owner of a Westminster livestock market.

[Tom]

Maybe we should these people in the same manner as they treat animals!

[unclesharkey]

Yea that makes sense.....not!

[Bea Elliott]

First these spent, gimpy dairy cows suffer a life of misery - constant impregnation - fed a pharmaceutical buffet to produce 10 times more milk than intended - none to feed to her calves..... Mother and calves are torn apart within hours (lest any "human" milk be wasted)- Male caves get to live tethered for months in tiny stalls - till they are slaughtered for "veal".....

In abject cruelty - the pathetic downer cow lives this cycle of horror for 4 years till her crippled body surrenders to what life has dealt her..... And still she cannot even be given the good kindness of "humanity" to allow her death to be merciful? The animal industries are an embarrassment to the human race - and blasphemous to any concept of decency. For health & heart.... Go VEGAN

[Christopher]

Bea, get a life. Most milk cows and dairy cows live up to 10 YEARS, the normal age for a cow to give it up and die.

Frankly, you are not fooling me, and humans are OMNIVORES. We are supposed to be eating meat. Simply put, humans CANNOT survive on a vegetarian diet alone. I know this, because I have a cousin who tried this 'vegan' lifestyle.... she nearly DIED from malnutrition!

Vegan is good for rabbits, cows, or other animals that can SUCK every single drop of nutrient out of the vegetarian stuff.... for humans.... sorry, not going to work.

[ceblakeney]

Please supply accurate information when you post. Humans are omnivores, which means they are perfectly capable of pursuing vegan and/or vegetarian diets, unlike true carnivores. They do not require corporate, assembly line force fed animal production in order to survive. The factory farming of animals for food provides at present an enormous quantity of taxpayer subsidized, cheaply produced calories. In the future it will require an enormous quantity of taxpayer subsidized, expensive action to remediate the damage done by those cheaply produced calories.

Christopher wrote:

Bea, get a life. Most milk cows and dairy cows live up to 10 YEARS, the normal age for a cow to give it up and die.
Frankly, you are not fooling me, and humans are OMNIVORES. We are supposed to be eating meat. Simply put, humans CANNOT survive on a vegetarian diet alone. I know this, because I have a cousin who tried this 'vegan' lifestyle.... she nearly DIED from malnutrition!
Vegan is good for rabbits, cows, or other animals that can SUCK every single drop of nutrient out of the vegetarian stuff.... for humans.... sorry, not going to work.

[SG Nolin]

Good for the Maryland DOA for its recent actions against Westminister Livestock Auction. And thank God for the US Humane Society, for bringing this into the open. How can this country and it's citizens turn a blind eye toward this kind of cruelty to an animal? I used to think people who condoned this kind of cruelty were uneducated men in dirty wife-beater shirts with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in.the other. However, I think it's been expanded to include anyone who sells or brokers animals for profit and enjoys squeezing that last penny out of the doomed animal.
By the way Christopher, Bea and ceblakney are right, humans are omnivours.

[Bea Elliott]

christopher - The oldest cow ever recorded was Big Bertha. She reached 48 in 1993. The average life span for cows on dairies is 4-5 years (after that they aren't "productive") and are converted to "hamburgers". "give it up and die"? that's crass....

Your cousin obviously mis-managed her diet....(As one can do even on the SAD diet). 3+% of the world pop is vegetarian - about 1.8% are vegan. My family is vegan - we're all quite healthy especially when compared to our omnivore friends and family who always seem to be "sick" with "something".

I don't know how you can say people "CANNOT" survive being vegan - I've met couples in their 70's who have been "veg" for decades. I might suggest exploring the internet (and google "vegan") before you comment. It might give your arguments more credibility.
For health & heart.... Go VEGAN

[The Prolific Punster]

I think it's all become a MOOt point.

[blahblahblah]

Bea Elliott wrote:

First these spent, gimpy dairy cows suffer a life of misery - constant impregnation - fed a pharmaceutical buffet to produce 10 times more milk than intended - none to feed to her calves..... Mother and calves are torn apart within hours (lest any "human" milk be wasted)- Male caves get to live tethered for months in tiny stalls - till they are slaughtered for "veal".....
In abject cruelty - the pathetic downer cow lives this cycle of horror for 4 years till her crippled body surrenders to what life has dealt her..... And still she cannot even be given the good kindness of "humanity" to allow her death to be merciful? The animal industries are an embarrassment to the human race - and blasphemous to any concept of decency. For health & heart.... Go VEGAN

I don't understand. People don't have to turn to veganism just because some beeves are mistreated. The way I see it, one could just properly treat the animals intended for human consumption or even raise livestock oneself instead of relying on big companies too blinded by the idea of big profit to follow regulations. Of course most people properly treat their animals (I even know some), but they never make it into the media (it's too normal for entertainment).