Scientists Cut Holes in Cows in the Name of the Environment…What?!

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1. As an animal scientist that actually works with cannulated steers, I would like to inform all readers of this blog that no, the animals are not in pain whatsoever. When I do demonstrations with my steers, I compare their "hole" to when a woman were to get her ears pierced, sore for about 2 weeks and then it no longer bothers them and they really pay no attention to the fact there is even a hole there at all until I disturb their grazing to give a demonstration or collect digesta for research.

   Which brings me to the next point, this is a practice that is done to conduct research so that producers may be able to provide their animals with the best possible feedstuffs that will keep them in the best health and allow them to maintain themselves. This is done for the good of the animal first and foremost. By having animals that are cannulated, more feedstuffs can be examined, in a faster manner than if they were not. The priority in animal science is the animal itself, and what we can do to better it\’s quality of life.

   Cattle diets are composed of corn and soy yes, but not in a "slurry" as is described in the article. Typical cattle diets are composed of corn and soybean meal that has been ground down to allow for better digestion by the animal and these feedstuffs are NOT harmful to the animals digestive system or body as a whole. Cattle have been being fed these feedstuffs for decades and research has been done on the affects of these feedstuffs on the animals as far as their, health, maintenance, and production is concerned. These feedtuffs have been found to be the best source of nutrients for the animals for good health, maintenance and their production needs.

   Please do not take articles like these for face value, especially if no credible scientific data is presented along with the article. There are numerous sites that provide credible data provided by scientists and experts in the agriculture field. Take the time to ask producers, scientists, etc. about your concerns or questions if you have them about different practices in agriculture. The best way to find out the truth about something is to ask someone who bases their life on it.

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2. As an animal scientist, and an advocate of new and improved agricultural research technologies such as these, I feel as though it is my civic duty to inform the readers of this article as to why these practices are utilized. It may not be widely known, but by the year 2050 the global population will nearly double and the agricultural community is faced with the issue of feeding all those people without increasing resources such as land or animals. So the question is how we go about accomplishing this goal and the answer is technology.

   One of the technologies used in research to determine how to make agriculture more efficient is cannulas. Having seen these cannulas in practice, I can tell from personal experience that these animals are not in pain and, in fact, are not disturbed or upset by it. This article correctly addresses the fact that a cannula is used as an opening into the cow’s digestive tract in order to monitor what they’re eating and how well it’s being digested. This lets the researcher know which feeds are better utilized so that we can better serve the animal, because, in the end, it’s all about animal well-being.

   However, what this article incorrectly describes is how cows affect climate change. Researchers estimate the contribution of cattle to global warming over the next 50 to 100 years to be a little less than 2%. Also, corn and soy products are some of the most compatible ingredients in a cow’s diet. They are full of energy that allows the cow to maintain and grow.

   My advice? Do some research, ask some questions from people who work with these technologies and these animals before jumping to conclusions. It’s a great way to learn about things you never knew.

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3. As an animal scientist, and an advocate of new and improved agricultural research technologies such as these, I feel as though it is my civic duty to inform the readers of this article as to why these practices are utilized. It may not be widely known, but by the year 2050 the global population will nearly double and the agricultural community is faced with the issue of feeding all those people without increasing resources such as land or animals. So the question is how we go about accomplishing this goal and the answer is technology.

   One of the technologies used in research to determine how to make agriculture more efficient is cannulas. Having seen these cannulas in practice, I can tell from personal experience that these animals are not in pain and, in fact, are not disturbed or upset by it. This article correctly addresses the fact that a cannula is used as an opening into the cow’s digestive tract in order to monitor what they’re eating and how well it’s being digested. This lets the researcher know which feeds are better utilized so that we can better serve the animal, because, in the end, it’s all about animal well-being
   .
   However, what this article incorrectly describes is how cows affect climate change. Researchers estimate the contribution of cattle to global warming over the next 50 to 100 years to be a little less than 2%. Also, corn and soy products are some of the most compatible ingredients in a cow’s diet. They are full of energy that allows the cow to maintain and grow.

   My advice? Do some research, ask some questions from people who work with these technologies and these animals before jumping to conclusions. It’s a great way to learn about things you never knew.

   Log in to Reply