COW PROTECTION is something which is held in the highest regard within our ISKCON society; yet, often misunderstood in its practical application. One cause is a lack of understanding of the cows’ importance within the agricultural ecosystem. If rural development is to evolve and be successful, changes need to be made in this area.
Cows are a beneficial and essential component of sustainable farming. They force a broadening of crops to include hay and pasture – both important additions to sustainable food production. In addition, some small grains can be grown to supplement the herd’s diet. This provides a practical need to expand crop diversity which is a pillar of sustainability.
The herd’s obvious contributions are milk and draft. Historically, our movement has excelled, at least in the short to medium term, on producing milk. But milk production is not the only objective of cow protection. The challenge found concerning dairy production has been herd size expanding b
