Origins of Cow Protection

Although cow protection has existed since time immemorial, periodically it is neglected. In his commentary to Bhagavad-gita verse 8.17, Srila Prabhupada identifies the different time periods, or yugas, and their characteristics: “The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom, and religion, there being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years. In the Treta-yuga vice is introduced and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years. In the Dvapara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion, vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga (the yuga we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years) there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion, and vice, true virtue being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years.”
The Bhagavad-gita, spoken at the dawn of the Kali age, clearly condemns cow slaughter. In Chapter 5, verse 18, Krishna says, vidya-vinaya-sampanne, brahmane gavi hastini, suni caiva sva-pake ca, panditah sama-darsinah, which translates: “The humble sages, by virtue of true knowledge, see with equal vision a learned and gentle bramana, a cow, an elephant, a dog, and a dog-eater (outcaste).” In the Manu-samhita, Manu says that “One who orders, one who kills, one who cuts the dead animals into pieces, one who sells, one who buys, one who cooks, one who serves and one who eats--all these eight are considered to be equal sinners.”
Cow protection, vegetarianism, and nonviolence have all been introduced by Krishna and passed down through the ages through the great sages and devotees. Srila Prabhupada, our spiritual master and founder of ISKCON, once said, “Religion means constitutional position. In the English dictionary religion is described as faith. But by Vedic definition religion cannot be changed like faith because it is the law given by the Lord.” We at Adopt A Cow and Gita-nagari farm follow the original laws of Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and try to educate others about protecting the cow in this age of Kali.
Want to stop violence? First Stop Killing the Cow!

Why is it every time we pick up a news magazine another country is at war? India’s Vedic literature is loud and clear. It’s our karma! Karma means for every action there is a reaction. One of the worst karmic influences in this age is cow slaughter.
In the Bhagavad-gita, Srila Prabhupada states in his purport to Chapter 14, verse 16: “Slaughtering poor animals is due to the mode of ignorance. The animal killers do not know that in the future the animal will have a body suitable to kill them. That is the law of the state. Because of ignorance, people do not perceive that there is a complete state controlled by the Supreme Lord. Every living creature is a son of the Supreme Lord and He does not tolerate even an ant’s being killed. One has to pay for it. So indulgence in animal killing for the taste of the tongue is the grossest kind of ignorance. A human being has no need to kill animals, because God has supplied so many nice things. If one indulges in meat-eating anyway, it is to be understood that he is acting in ignorance and is making his future very dark, Of all kinds of animal killing, the killing of the cows is the most vicious because the cow gives us all kinds of pleasure by supplying milk. Cow slaughter is an act of the grossest type of ignorance. In the Vedic literature (Rg Veda 9.4.63) the words gobhih prinitamatsaram indicate that one who, being fully satisfied by milk, is desirous of killing the cow, is in the grossest ignorance. There is also a prayer in the Vedic literature that states:

Namo brahmana-devaya
Go-brahmana-hitaya ca
Jagad-dhitaya krsnaya
Govindaya namo namaha

‘My Lord, You are the well-wisher of the cows and brahmanas, and You are the well-wisher of the entire human society and the world.’ (Visnu Purana 1.19.65) The purport is that special mention is given in that prayer for the protection of the cows and the brahmanas. Brahmanas are the symbol of spiritual education, and the cows are the symbol of the most valuable food; the two living creature, the brahmanas and the cows, must be given all protection-that is real advancement of civilization. In modern human society, spiritual knowledge is neglected and cow killing is encourage. It is to be understood then, that human society is advancing in the wrong direction and is clearing the path to its own condemnation. A civilization which guides the citizens to become animals in their next lives is certainly not a human civilization. The present human civilization is, of course grossly misled by the modes of passion and ignorance. It is a very dangerous age and all nations should take care to provide the easiest process, Krishna consciousness to save humanity from the greatest danger.
In short, as long as there is animal killing, we will continue to kill each other. In the U.S. alone, over 4 million cows are slaughtered each year. Not to mention the 85 million pigs, 9 million sheep and 3.3 million chickens. When will the U.S.’s good karma run out? It is already dwindling. That’s as plain as the daily news.
The Vedic solution to this problem of self-destruction is not very difficult. Stop slaughtering animals, rise to the mode of goodness and take to Krishna consciousness. In the age of Kali, Krishna consciousness is very simple. Chant the Holy Names of God-hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare. This chanting is the best way to cleanse the dirt from our hearts and elevate ourselves to the realization that cow slaughter is a hideous, unnecessary act of murder and the cause of societies murdering on e another. If animal slaughter ceases, we will stop incurring bad karmic reactions for our society and be able to live at peace with ourselves and others.

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PHYSIOLOGICAL COMPARISONS

MINIMUM COW PROTECTION STANDARDS

The following is a list of cow protection guidelines for ISKCON farms to be proposed for acceptance at the 1999 GBC Mayapur meetings. Most of the points in this proposal have been discussed and formulated on the Com cow conference by ISCOWP (Balabhadra das & Chayadevi dasi), Madhava Gosh das (New Vrndavana), Hare Krsna dasi (BTG), Rohita das (New Talavan), Radha Krsna das, Syamasundara das (Bhaktivedanta Manor) and some of its other members. Annutama das (ISKCON Communications) and Labangaltika dasi (India) have also contributed. The purpose of this proposal is to institute a world-wide cow protection minimum standard within ISKCON. By so doing the authors hope to help prevent any mistreatment of ISKCON cows and help develop cow protection programs that exemplify Srila Prabhupada’s vision of cow protection.

Your input through suggestions and comments are needed to finalized this proposal. Please communicate your response to cow@com.bbt.se or ISCOWP, Rd 1NBU #28, Moundsville, WV, 26041 USA

THE COWS ARE AS IMPORTANT AS THE CITIZENS
Krsna Book, Volume 1, Chapter 5
“It is also significant that Vasudeva inquired about the welfare of Nanda Maharaja’s animals. The animals, and especially the cows, were protected exactly in the manner of one’s children. Vasudeva was a ksatriya, and Nanda Maharaja was a vaisya. It is the duty of the ksatriya to give protection to the citizens of mankind, and it is the duty of the vaisya to give protection to the cows. The cows are as important as the citizens. Just as the human citizens should be given all kinds of protection, so the cows also should be given full protection.”

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BRAHMINICAL CULTURE CANNOT BE MAINTAINED WITHOUT COW PROTECTION

Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 8: Chapter 24, Text 5 Purport
“Without protection of cows, brahminical culture cannot be maintained; and without brahminical culture, the aim of life cannot be fulfilled.”
MINIMUM COW PROTECTION STANDARDS
The term cows is used herein to mean cows, calves, oxen, and bulls.
Cows are domestic animals, not wild animals. They are dependent on the care of humans.
1) No Cow Should be Killed:
Either directly or indirectly. Indirectly includes the following:

a) Transferring ownership to non devotees who will inevitably send the animal to a slaughterhouse.
b) Death through failure to provide minimal feed, shelter, and health care.
c) Loss of animals to rustlers by failure to perform regular observations. Rustlers steal animals they know aren’t watched.
d) Loss of animals by failure to provide adequate fencing.

2) 5% Mortality Rate is Achievable Standard:
Calf mortality rate should be no greater than 5%, the achievable standard. A calf mortality rate of 10% or more indicates a serious problem in the cow protection program.

3) No Cow Should Be Bred Unless:
No Cow should be bred unless there is a clear and concrete plan for the care and purpose of the calf for it’s entire life. This needs to be twofold. One side in the form of land; owned outright, retained or acquired grazing rights, or leased; the other in a irrevocable trust fund, the proceeds of which are adequate to care for the calf through it’s entire life.

4) Breed Selection:
Breed selection should not be solely on the basis of milk production, i.e. modern Holsteins. Ability to produce milk for longer than a year on low quality feed, characteristics of the oxen, survivability in tough times, all need to be considered.

5) In General All Bull Calves Should Be Castrated at the Appropriate Time:
The emasculation process (bloodless castration) is the best means, cutting should be avoided.

6) Impregnation of Cows
Recommended - Cows should be impregnated by using bulls as requested by Srila Prabhupada. Such bulls must be properly enclosed to ensure proper safety and to avoid unscheduled pregnancies. Careful records of breeding must be kept.
Permitted - Artificial Insemination may be used when in special circumstances entire bulls cannot be properly maintained. Bulls from a neighbour (even though not farmed according to vaisnava principles) may also be used if they are suitable.
Prohibited - Keeping entire bulls that are not properly enclosed in bull proof fences and stockades. Such bulls will invariably lead to unscheduled breeding. Keeping a bull must follow the same standards given herein for the cows. In addition a bull should have association (at least one ox with him) and should not be kept within close proximity to the cows.

7) The Entire Herd Should Be Counted and Consciously Observed:
This should be done at least once a day. In most cases, the people with the direct responsibility for feeding, cleaning areas, etc, are too pressed to do this, unless the herd is very small. Even untrained people can perform this job.

8) Cow Care and Responsibility
Recommended Method: Devotees owning their own land and cows with grazing and havesting communally. Cow/Land Trust to secure cow care. Breeding conducted with careful consideration to land capacity.
Permitted Method: Centralized Temple goshalla operated by a few devotees where there is an abundant congregation to support the goshalla and a Cow/Land Trust to secure the cow care. Small privately owned family farms working with the Cow/Land Trust. Both following breeding programs maintaining proper proportion of animals to land capacity.
Prohibitive Method: Centralized temple goshalla without appropriate manpower, congregational support, and Cow/Land Trust. Overbreeding without consideration for land capacity.

9) If You Drink Milk, You Have a Responsibility:
This responsibility cannot be assumed by someone else. Positive ideas on how to maintain cows Krsna consciously are available, but there is no escaping the fact that everyone has to be involved, either in direct care, or in paying more for milk than minimal retail price. If milk from protected cows is not available, than compensatory donations should be made on a regular basis to support cows and cowherds on a devotee farm.
Large-scale commercial milk production is likely to result in overbreeding and future neglect of retired animals, therefore it should be strongly discouraged.

10) All Cows Should Have Adequate Shelter:
Adequate shelter (not overcrowded) with fresh air and access to sunlight should be available. Adequate shelter in the winter means protection from the wind, rain, and snow. Adequate shelter in the summer means, at the least, available tree shade in the pasturing grounds. Adequate water and salt should always be available.

11) No Animal Should be Kept Always Tethered:
Cows should be provided sufficient grazing opportunity.

12) No Oxen Should Be Overworked or Worked By Force Only:
Overworking and working by force develops when there is no obvious personal relationship between the ox and the teamster. Excessive use of: whips, beating, rough treatment, and violence to the oxen are not acceptable. Training during the first year of life and developing a loving relationship is recommended to negate the necessity for excessive violent treatment in the working stage of the oxen’s life. The training method of voice commands is recommended.

13) Working Oxen and Milking Cows Should Be Fed Grain.
Growing oxen should also be fed grain. Due to the extra physical output, grain is needed in addition to regular feed. Prasadam scraps and bhoga alone do not provide an adequate diet for a cow and if given at all should be carefully monitored.

14) Traveling Oxen Programs Should Provide:
Safe and comfortable traveling facilities. The traveling animals should receive sufficient feed and water during daytime traveling and untrailered during the night for natural rest and exercise. Standard 9 also applies.

15) Grazing Beef Cows on ISKCON Farms is not Acceptable:
Any cow that has taken shelter on Krsna’s land should never be subsequently killed. In particular, ISKCON should strongly condemn the practice of making profit by grazing beef cows on devotee farms, whether they are officially owned by ISKCON or not.

16) Cowherds Should be Properly Trained and Supported:
They can have a decent, if simple standard of living and enough time to
participate in the community’s spiritual program.

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HOW TO DETERMINE IF A HERD IS NEGLECTED

Neglect takes two forms. Current neglect and inevitable future neglect. Every project has followed a fairly similar pattern of over breeding in the early stages, then abandonment later when the burden of responsibility is not offset by the sweetness of milk consumption.

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SIGNS OF CURRENT NEGLECT

A panel of neutral devotees, even though untrained specifically in cow care, can determine present neglect by visiting a project and observing the following:

1. The corporate officers of the entity owning the cows don’t know how many they have; they refer you to the cowherdsmen.
2. Calf mortality rate is 10% or more. This can be determined retroactively by seeing how many cows are milking, or have been milking in the last 2-3 years and determining how many of their calves are still alive.
3. Perform a demographic analysis. Split by sex, animals under 3 years old, 3 to 8, 8 to 12, over 12. An inability to provide this information is a clear sign of neglect.
4. Cows aren’t counted daily.
5. Talk to the neighboring farmers. They see what is going on and have the background to put it into perspective. Talk to several, as inevitably one may have an ax to grind or vice versa; Srila Prabhupada said to always ask 3 times.
6. Ribs showing is not a conclusive a sign of deglect but it is an indicator. Cows can be thin and still be healthy. Fat cows have energy stored up for lean times and this is generally considered a better condition. Also, it is a normal condition for old cows to have their ribs showing.
7. Open sores, runny noses and eyes, untrimmed hooves are all things that inevitably occur from time to time. However, look for evidence no one is dealing with them.
8. Cows aren’t brushed. Gopastami isn’t celebrated.
9. Cows are considered a burden by managers. Cow care is departmentalized and considered the work of a specialized few.

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SIGNS OF INEVITABLE NEGLECT

Even though a herd is apparently well cared for at present, the future is just around the corner.

1. The potential herd size exceeds the carrying capacity of the land. Cows can live to be 15 years or older. To say an average herd will have a life span of ten years is minimal. That means that for every cow that you breed, there will eventually be 10 in the herd. If 3 are being bred each year, the stabilized herd number will be thirty animals. By talking to local farmers or government agencies, carrying capacity of the land in the local area can be determined. This can vary widely from area to area. If the carrying capacity of the land is 5 acres per cow x 3 bred per year x 10 =150 acres. If the land available doesn’t match the projection, future neglect is highly likely.
2. The oxen aren’t being worked. If the oxen aren’t worked, it is a clear sign cows are being bred solely for the purpose of milk consumption. After the milk is dried up, the drinkers generally disappear from the arena of responsibility.
3. Ox working programs carried out without personal relationship with the oxen as the foundation will lead to forced working conditions and trouble from Animal Right’s groups and animal protection agencies.
4. Be cautious if the project is dependent on cash flow from donations to fund it. One scandal in the leadership can dry up cash flow in a heartbeat.
5. The herd is cared for by young brahmacaris and not established householders. This tends to mean trouble because brahmacaries usually come and go, resulting in a constant turnover of personnel and disruption in the care of the cows.
6. Cow herding is considered a “lower” service. Generally, people obsessed with being “higher” will not step up and do the needful when it is unromantic to do so. People who are treated as inferiors will inevitably leave.

So these are the basic principles for cow protection. Beyond this the important and desirable goal in ISKCON is to institute regular varnasrama training for cowherds and rural community managers to ensure an exemplary standard of cow protection throughout ISKCON’s rural communities.

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