The price/cost of cow-protection milk

Dusyanta dasa uk: Recently whilst browsing the many Iskcon-devotee websites i found a conversation taking place concerning whether to buy ordinary cows milk and/or cow-protected milk.The issue arose of the quantity of cow-protected milk that was actually being produced globally and how much was available for sale to the devotees.
In many cases for devotees it is impossible to buy cow protected milk because it is either not available or the distance to the nearest farm is prohibitive.Conclusively many Temples and many devotees buy ordinary cows milk produced from farms where cows are slaughtered.Also the evidence was clear that all dairy products were in the same category.So the questions consequently arise.
1 Why on earth have we in Iskcon still not got to grips with producing cow-protected milk for the Vaisnava community.
2 Many years have gone by since this easy to understand concept of cow-protection was introduced to us all in Iskcon by Srila Prabhupada for us to establish,why havent we?
3 Is the cost/price of cow-protected milk prohibitive to create this facility available for all Vaisnavas.?
One point that was made during this conversation was that the price/cost of milk produced from cow-protected herds was high,alot higher than other commercial herds producing milk.Commercial herds had the advantage of subsidies and because they slaughtered the cow after her milk producing days were over ,then there was no cost to maintain her anymore.
After considering the points that were made i find that i disagreed with that kind of conclusion and that in cow-protected herds we still have advantages over those other herds that are not taken in to account.
Firstly because we dont actually depend economically on cow-protected milk then many of the normal animal husbandry practices are abandoned by the devotee farmers.In milk production it is essential that all the requirments are followed to optimise each cows milk production potential,especially at the begining of lactation of Hiefers to fully fledged Milking Cow.This time is crucial and if not properly managed then the whole milk production life of one cow can be severly hampered.Maybe losing as much as 25%-30% of their milk production over their whole life,meaning a sizeable amount of potential milk not being produced.
Secondly is the diet of each milking cow that needs to be individually monitored and taylored to each individual cow.On commercial farms it has become essential to feed each milking cow her exact requirements because of the criticalness of milk production in relation to diet.Mostly in Iskcon farms this has never been an issue so the milking cow could be eating the same as a bullock or calf,which would again severely restrict the milking cows volume of production.
Thirdly the impact of animal bi-products in relation to subsidising cow-protected milk prices has never been utililised or taken into account.Something commercial farmers would never even take into account and use is the cow-dung.Mostly in commercial herds it is wastefully recycled back to the land where the important ingredients in cow manure,ammonia and urine,are just distributed on top of grassland and left to evaporate into thin air.Consequently in the form that they use it namely “slurry” it becomes a cost not an income.In Iskcon ,unfortunately,the same must be said.We just throw it all away and lose most of the valuable constituents of cow-manure.
It is a reasonable long term investment to make in a plant that is able to cope with and produce unlimited amounts of methane gas from cow manure.Essentially a free energy source in any milking herd of cows.The bi-product is another valuable source of fertiliser for land and gardens,compost.Both products can be either sold or utilised to save money thus subsidising the cost/price of milk.This practice is not being utilised on Iskcon farms.
Therefore in the management of cow-protected milk production within Iskcon we find that there are quintessentially maladministrated techniques,processes and knowledge at work.Due to lack of professional/commercial experience and understanding of milk production dynamics in Iskcon farms and farmers, we will always have a lack of milk for devotees to puchase.This is an issue that will become more to the forefront in Iskcon as we start to recognise the need of food production and the establishment of devotee communities not centred around Temples.As many devotees enthusiastically and euphemistically call it ,Varnashrama Dharma.
A bona fide constructive criticism of the fundamental processes,techniques and knowlege that are employed in managing cow-protected milk producing herds in Iskcon would be that an internal audit of each individual milk producing herd could take place by independant qualified devotee farmers to see where each farm is going wrong.As in any service that we perform like Deity Worship there are accepted standards that we have to conform to so in the case of Milk producing herds the same type of standard is wanting.
If at all the required standard is ever to be met,that is production of milk and dairy products for at least the members of Iskcon is concerned,then the argument is certainly there to be addressed and resolved.The principle of Cow protected milk production is of such importance that a proper standard has to be met by those managing the herds on Iskcon’s behalf.As in the case of Deity Worship we dont leave it up to the whimsical ideas of the Pujaris to determine their level of worship and the same argument can be applied to Milk production because this is a long term project and Cows are on the same level of worship as the Deities are,something we have not come to terms with in Iskcon.
For so long now our cow protection project has existed in terms of a hippy like application.Cows just wandering around being unengaged themselves..Cows want to give their milk and services so they can also be part of an integrated community based on a symbiotic-relationship in an economic environment.This relationship with cows and land solves all our problems for food and economy,but we do need to have much more faith in this.Cows need us to feel protected and we need cows for their products,association and contribution to community.
In conclusion on this subject there are still currently many problems that need addressing and then solving.These could be listed thus;
1. Proper standard of Cow Protection in relationship to symbiosis with cows be established.
2. Animal husbandry techniques and understanding to be applied professionally for milk producing cows.
3. Effect utilisation of all types of cow products be used for economic development in a symbiotic relationship with cows.
4. Iskcon farms audited by independant farm authorities to identify mistakes and instruct remedial activities.
5. Inclusion of community dynamics in management systems in milk producing herds.
6. Increased milk production by use of better managed herds to effect availability of cow-protected milk for all Vaisnavas.
7. Production of methane gas and fertiliser for useage as either way of saving energy costs or for direct sale to Vaisnavas and available market.Setting up of Market Gardens,Garden Centres,Agricultural Produce.
8 Introduction and establishment of authentic Community dynamics to manage and deal with Cow Protection for a future of economy,stability and food production,to teach future generations techniques,skills and systems for prosperous symbiosis.
9. Define Cow Protection in terms of Symbiosis, Economic Development and alternative farming practices for establishment of Community and Preaching Examples.
10. Manualise and catalogue all types of techniques,skills and knowlege in pursuance of handing down of experience to generations of devotees which can be added to in terms of time and circumstance.
If there is not a change in the mindset that has evolved in Iskcon cow protected milk production herds then there is no chance in establishing the alternative to farming in a minimalistic violent way for ourselves as a Society and to the world at large.We just wind up having really expensive pets that are cows with red hands on their sides and old garlands around their necks.Thats not my idea of cow protection and i suspect that Srila Prabhupada did not just want that either.
In the S.Bhag.8.6.12 Srila Prabhupada writes thus,
“The cow should be protected,milk should be drawn from the cows,and this should be prepared in various ways.One should take ample milk,and one can prolong ones life,develop his brain,execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favour of the supreme Personality of Godhead.”
This indicates that ALL members of Iskcon need to take ample quantities of milk not just a few Vaisnavas.In Iskcons cow protected milking herds we have to draw or produce enough milk for All the members and treat all our members equally.Each one of us has the right to be able to access cow protected milk and that is the duty of our cow protection managers so we can all benefit from the nectar that is milk.If Iskcons farmers are only producing enough milk for just a few then this is a failure to execute Srila Prabhupadas instructions from S.Bhag 8.6.12 and surely we have had enough time to figure out how this is done or perhaps we havent had enough milk to develop our brains????????