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Shocking undercover dairy video hits home.

February 14, 2013 75 Comments

Today a new undercover video of a dairy farm was released and it really hit home for me… Shocking what goes on behind the closed doors of this dairy! WARNING- You may be shocked by what you see.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuNSzrSiZ9w?rel=0&w=480&h=360]

No, this undercover dairy video wasn’t what you thought it was going to be. Most aren’t! Were you surprised to see happy, healthy cows just hanging out and doing cow things? While activists groups try to paint farms in a bad light, the truth is our cows are our livelihood and we aren’t going to do anything to hurt them.

Groups like Mercy for Animals, PeTA and others want to end animal agriculture. They want us all to eat a vegan diet and they aren’t afraid to use highly edited, out of context videos to try and convince you to give up meat and dairy.

Want to learn more about undercover videos? This post shows how sometimes things aren’t what they seem. This post talks about how sometimes being mean to cows is the right choice. Don’t forget, activists have an agenda and they will lie to you, read more about that HERE.

Farmers know that happy, comfortable cows produce more milk. While abuse does happen, it is a very small minority and no one wants bad farms out of business more than farmers. Activist groups who record undercover videos often sit on footage for months and do nothing to stop the abuse because it’s more important to them to release videos in a way that brings in donations to their cause, rather than actual helping animals.

And if that’s not enough to totally rock your world check out this video from the Netherlands.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKi4D_4Egl8?rel=0&w=640&h=360]

What do you think?

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Filed Under: My Life Tagged With: agriculture, animal rights, Animal welfare, cows, dairy, farming, food, wisconsin

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Comments

  1. brandibuzzard

    February 14, 2013 at 11:54 am

    Oh the humanity!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 11:57 am

      When will it end?

      Reply
      • Robin Rastani (@cownutritionist)

        February 15, 2013 at 11:13 am

        I hope never 😉

        Reply
      • Dixie

        January 5, 2016 at 6:36 pm

        Well it’s good to see they are not tied up but they need good sunlight for vitamin D and good green grass for health and milk.Once they are done with milk put them in pasture.Then call them in for milk time.That’s what I like to make them feel more comfortable and naturally and happy.

        Reply
  2. An Irish Male In America

    February 14, 2013 at 12:03 pm

    I’m shocked, some of those white cows had black spots all over them. Obviously they are being made work in coal mines!! If the cows eat the coal, that ends up in the milk we drink!!! We have choice left but to ban coal mining to save the cows!

    Reply
  3. High Heels & Shotgun Shells

    February 14, 2013 at 12:04 pm

    Cow doing cow things, like eating and rubbing. How much longer will we all stand for this!

    Reply
  4. Diana

    February 14, 2013 at 12:24 pm

    Dear Lord, did you see how they have the black and brown ones mixed together?! They’re contaminating our regular milk with CHOCOLATE MILK!!!!!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 12:36 pm

      The most shocking part of all of this to some people will be that most of my cows are black and white!

      Reply
  5. Midwest Farm Girl

    February 14, 2013 at 12:28 pm

    This is great!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 3:53 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  6. iloveag

    February 14, 2013 at 12:54 pm

    Dairy Carrie, that Undercover Dairy Farm Video is shocking! I’m going to share it with all my friends. Thanks for posting it to make all of us aware!

    As for the second video, I wish they had shown within that video some shots of the dairy in the first….imo, it’s VITAL that we show proudly and unapologetically all parts of our supply chain. How effective would it have been to have shown all three types of dairy farms (100% grazing, mixed, and 100% total mixed ration) in that heart-string-tugging video? I loved it, but worry that it does us more harm than good, because it sets us up for the double-shock (to the people truly unfamiliar with production) of a true undercover video: the shock of not seeing green grass, plus whatever contrived shock the makers of the video have added in.

    You do excellent work! Keep it up!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 1:15 pm

      Thanks for the comment! I will let you in on a little secret,the first dairy is our farm 😉

      I agree with what you are saying on the second video. However it is a video from the Netherlands and grazing is a much higher percentage of the herds there so it makes sense for the commercial to show what it did.

      Reply
  7. Erin Mullins

    February 14, 2013 at 1:15 pm

    Both of these videos are great!! I will definatly be sharing the second one because as many people as possible need to see it. I have a feeling it would really get them to thinking.

    Have a wonderful Valentines Day and Keep up the good work!!
    Erin
    https://diariesfromthedirtroad.blogspot.com

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 1:35 pm

      Thanks Erin! Would love for you to share the post and both videos 😉

      Reply
  8. Paula

    February 14, 2013 at 1:28 pm

    I think I heard fresh cow pie production in the background…. Where was the camera at this point? 🙂

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 1:34 pm

      Yes, yes you did… the filmmaker was more worried about the fresh heifer in heat that was trying to climb her at that moment.

      Reply
  9. carrielt

    February 14, 2013 at 2:02 pm

    Great video!! Not once did I hear a moo. Tells me they are very well taken care of and not stress at all!! Great video!!

    Reply
  10. carrielt

    February 14, 2013 at 2:03 pm

    I forgot to add that the calves in blankets is just too much!! So cute!!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 2:31 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  11. Eddie Borst

    February 14, 2013 at 2:35 pm

    It got pretty intense there for a split second when that fight broke out. Great job Dairy Carrie as usual!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 2:49 pm

      Thanks Eddie!

      Reply
  12. Amy (@KyFarmersMatter)

    February 14, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    I am mortified. Jaw dropping. Utterly flabbergasted. The silence is deafening. How miserable those cows must be…eating…standing…lounging…rubbing. Oh the humanity!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 3:11 pm

      It’s difficult to watch… I know… cows being cows…

      Reply
  13. farmersofcanada

    February 14, 2013 at 4:02 pm

    I am shocked! So many black and white cows, having you been hiding Holstein love? 🙂

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 4:13 pm

      Shhhhh…… that’s a secret! There are some crossbred girls in the video too!

      Reply
  14. ang

    February 14, 2013 at 4:16 pm

    your cows get to go in paddocks of grass?

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 14, 2013 at 4:25 pm

      Not this time of year… there is no grass to be found just ice and snow!

      Reply
  15. lindslis

    February 14, 2013 at 7:19 pm

    Found this via Facebook! All of my ag friends have been sharing it! Love it!

    Reply
  16. Julie V.

    February 14, 2013 at 7:44 pm

    LOVED IT! Shared on my page already!

    Reply
  17. countrylinked

    February 14, 2013 at 8:20 pm

    Plan to share, share, share and share some more!!! Great job Carrie.

    Reply
  18. Julie Barnett

    February 14, 2013 at 8:27 pm

    How can this be! Totally off agenda for the animal rights activists. The “real milk is unhealthy -eat overly processed something else so that it kind of looks like milk” crowd will be appalled. I, however, could not be happier that either of those things might occur.

    Reply
  19. countrylinked

    February 14, 2013 at 8:28 pm

    Reblogged this on COUNTRY LINKed and commented:
    Dairy Carrie has gone undercover at her own dairy farm to video what happens at the farm. I need to warn you that these images are in no way shocking, just the truth. Please watch both videos. Thank you Dairy Carrie!

    Reply
  20. Diana

    February 14, 2013 at 10:37 pm

    JUST ANOTHER DAY ON A DAIRY FARM..NOTHING SPECIAL

    Reply
  21. Larry Olberding Jr.

    February 14, 2013 at 10:44 pm

    Just scandalous! Why cant you be like everyone else and just get your milk at the store! I am shocked and appalled. Honestly, great job and spectacular idea!

    Reply
  22. Kerry

    February 15, 2013 at 8:02 am

    Love it!

    Reply
    • Kerry

      February 15, 2013 at 8:03 am

      Good job!

      Reply
  23. Robin Rastani (@cownutritionist)

    February 15, 2013 at 11:14 am

    I was swamped when the video was released… so just now had a moment to view it. Great under-cover video 😉

    Reply
  24. Rae

    February 15, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    This makes me glad I gave up dairy! Cows are made to graze in fields! That is what makes them healthy. Healthy cows make healthy milk and healthy meat. Any other treatment of them is unacceptable!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 15, 2013 at 1:36 pm

      Hi Rae, it’s winter in Wisconsin. That’s why you saw all that white stuff. Not exactly a peak time for grazing. I’m sorry you’ve given up dairy. You might want to search out more information from more sources.

      Reply
  25. Brian

    February 15, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    Where’d you get those stunt cows!? LOL

    Reply
  26. Shannon

    February 15, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    I have a camera in my birthing arena (also a Wisconsin dairy…organic) available for viewing via a dynamic host site and people are often shocked by that, too. Did you know that sometimes a cow will poop while it is trying to have a calf? Sometimes I don’t run right down there at 2 a.m. and fluff it away while it is still warm, either. Oh, the humanity! It is so unlike people giving birth who obviously expel nothing but baby. 🙂 Nice video.

    Reply
  27. carolyncares

    February 15, 2013 at 5:18 pm

    Absolutely awesome!

    Reply
  28. jeyrae

    February 15, 2013 at 6:08 pm

    Just watched “shocking undercover” and read the follow up explaination. I was raised on a dairy(very small) and am still trying to grasp large scale ones. I also work at a livestock sale barn and live on a farm/ranch where we have a 300 head cow herd for beef. I am so thankful you took the time to explain the happenings – I see a lot of crips weekly and yes, it’s sad but it is not from abuse or mis-use. No death is enjoyable but it is a fact of life. Thank you! I hope the uninformed will take time to watch and read your postings and understand we farmers and ranchers are God’s caretakers of His creatures. Thank You AGAIN!!!

    Reply
    • Herb Kreider

      March 7, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      I co-own a large dairy farm ,( 1000 + cows) our cows are treated with the same care as the ones on smaller farms, we just need bigger barns and more help. Our milk is tested & safe for consumption the same way it is all size farms,so the product you drink is no different. Hope this is a little helpful ,love to give you a tour some time you are in the area. If you email me use subject Dary Cows otherwise I will not open it ,I’ve been hacked.

      Reply
      • dairycarrie

        March 7, 2013 at 9:17 pm

        Hi Herb! I’ve had the opportunity to be on farms of all sizes and 100% agree with your comments! Thanks for stopping by!

        Reply
  29. Clare

    February 17, 2013 at 7:27 pm

    Totally enjoyed your video, Carrie! Great insight and a true “reality show” — thanks! The video from Netherlands offers insights into the “larger picture” of farming and our need to “take time to think about it”. Thanks for both!

    Reply
  30. ninime

    February 18, 2013 at 5:43 am

    Love them both!

    You might want to correct the spelling of “peaceful” early in the first video. I thought that long cowpie-plopping sound was the “fight.” I didn’t quite get that part until someone identified it.

    Keep up the great work!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 18, 2013 at 11:52 am

      Ack! You are the first person to mention that.. I totally missed it… Too late to change now. Dang that’s going to bug me!

      Reply
  31. Storey Cole

    February 18, 2013 at 12:23 pm

    LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  32. Real Life Farm Wife

    February 18, 2013 at 9:11 pm

    Reblogged this on Real Life Farm Wife and commented:
    What the majority of farms really look like.

    Reply
  33. Life in the 50's and beyond...

    February 19, 2013 at 7:37 am

    Way to go… reblogging….

    Reply
  34. Life in the 50's and beyond...

    February 19, 2013 at 7:39 am

    Reblogged this on retiredruth – Life in the 50's and beyond and commented:
    For those of you who have not met Dairy Carrie… here she is. She speaks about farming so well and tells it like it is!

    Reply
  35. Jenny

    February 19, 2013 at 10:11 am

    Love.This.

    Reply
  36. JoshinYall

    February 19, 2013 at 5:47 pm

    WAKE UP PEOPLE! JUST BECAUE THERE WAS NO SINISTER MUSIC YOU THINK THAT THESE COWS ARE HAPPY????

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      February 19, 2013 at 5:48 pm

      Oh Josh… You’re funny 😉

      Reply
  37. Jack Caldwell

    March 4, 2013 at 1:36 pm

    I am teaching a Dairy Science short course this semester and would like to use your video to reinforce my insistance that proper treament of animals is good for health, lifetime production, and of course, your bottom line.

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      March 4, 2013 at 2:09 pm

      Would love for you to use it!

      Reply
  38. Rachel Tepfer

    March 5, 2013 at 9:15 pm

    Thanks for sharing a positive undercover video for a change. We are fed so many images of animals being abused and mistreated in factory farms that the entire industry is treated as such. I was fortunate to spend the first five years of my life on a dairy farm and be a county dairy princess my freshman year of college so I know this is not the case. This is the way it *should* be. Healthy, comfortable, happy animals are the best producers. BTW, loved the Campina commercial from the Netherlands! I lived in that country for nearly 8 years and the cheese and yogurt are to die for!

    Reply
    • Rachel Tepfer

      March 5, 2013 at 9:36 pm

      PS, those little coats on the calves are just too cute! lol

      Reply
  39. Beullah

    June 24, 2013 at 3:57 pm

    I am glad to see the video in which the cows seem to have minimal discomfort. Still we
    cannot use these videos to be apathetic about those who abuse their animals such as
    Willet Cattle who used pick axes and hammers to kill baby male calves. Here is the link.
    I also think we should allow children to choose how they eat based on being educated
    on “eating meat”, “eating a plant based diet”, and the labels of “Carnivore”, Omnivore,
    Vegetarian, Vegan, etc. There are new studies out that show high I.Q. levels in children
    who eat a plant based diet. I am Vegan, 50 years old and still wear a bikini! Everyone
    thinks I am 30! Try it you might like it!

    Compassion Is Consistent via Free from Harm

    “If children had any idea what goes into that milk, cheese, ice cream, or yogurt, they would be devastated. If children knew that baby cows are forcibly taken from their mothers; if they ever saw a mother cow calling frantically for her baby; if they ever saw a calf crying in a veal crate, or curling into a lonely ball to warm himself; they would never choose to cause such harm to animals.”

    Watching these horrors should compel people to go vegan but either way, using animals for our own needs is immoral. Each sentient being on this planet has it’s own right to life. Being vegan is an ethical imperative.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUakLh0MPJc

    I hope you post this and don’t delete it as that would not be conscientious.

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      June 25, 2013 at 2:52 pm

      Beullah, I 100% support your right to choose what you eat. Animal abuse is abhorrent and you won’t find someone more against abuse of animals than I am. I can’t say that abuse like what you have linked to doesn’t happen, trotting it out as an example of the dairy industry is wrong. I am certain that there are some pretty horrible people that eat and promote a vegan diet but I don’t hold them up as an example of what all vegans are. That being said while I respect your viewpoint I find that the rhetoric from the vegan side is often wrong. Your post here reads like propaganda and while I don’t block comments unless they are rude or over the top, I don’t think that you are here to learn more about dairy farming. If you are I apologize and welcome your comments and questions.

      Reply
  40. Beullah

    July 7, 2013 at 2:35 am

    Yes I am still waiting for you to answer my questions. I asked how long after birth the calves are taken from their Mother’s? Also would you be willing to phase out Dairy and use subsidies to make HEALTHY MILK from Almonds, Soy, Coconut, etc. It would be so much better for human
    health considering the health problems associated with “Lactose intake and cholesterol etc.
    Not to mention stopping the exploitation of living animals suffering and being slaughtered.
    You would be part of the evolution and advancement of the human race. Have you educated
    yourself on these subjects? The Dairy Industry must make calves to keep the milk flowing,
    this leaves male calves to be sold for veal or killed as babies to make take the rennet from
    their 4th stomach to make cheese. I just ate some “Daiya” CRUELTY FREE CHEESE,. I am
    so exited for “Kite Hill” ATISAN CHEESE COMPANY ALL PLANT BASED CRULETY FREE
    HEALTHY CHEESE!

    Reply
    • dairycarrie

      July 7, 2013 at 10:14 am

      Beullah, your arguments would be much more effective if you had some of your facts correct. In the US about 90% of male dairy calves are raised as steers and not used for veal. Also in the US the vast majority of cheese production uses artificial rennet. If you can’t get those facts straight how is anyone supposed to believe the rest of your argument?
      If all you are going to do is spam this blog with your comments they will be deleted and you will be blocked.

      Reply
      • Shannon

        July 8, 2013 at 12:40 am

        Moreover, Beullah, you seem to be terribly concerned about the timeliness of calf removal from the mother. You do not mention the scientific basis of colostrum intake in reference to the health of the calf. A great percentage of dairy calves, regardless of gender, fail to ingest a sufficient amount of colostrum from the birth mother, leaving them open to an intensely high mortality rate from compromised immune systems. As time passes, both the effectiveness of the mother’s colostrum and the calf’s ability to absorb the antibodies within it, dissipate. Some mothers milk hard, making it difficult for calves to nurse sufficiently. Many calves simply lack the aggression and instinct. They need to be fed because they don’t feed sufficiently on their own. This is all assuming the herd is closed and the farmer does not have to be concerned about breaking the cycle of infectious diseases, such as Johne’s, which will also jeopardize the calf’s future, regardless of gender. For the record, an exceptionally low number of cows care about their calves after 12 hours. That horrible bawling you reference…it’s not there. I have a herd of 60 and maybe two have half a worry about their offspring following calving. Those same two are also a bit neurotic and claim every calf born, regardless of who they were born to. I would be interested to know your background and from where you are getting your information. Have you any actual agricultural experience or are you simply burping back things you have read? Dairy Carrie is correct. People will take you far more seriously if your “facts” are actually facts. I commend you for trying to fight the good fight, but you are unfortunately a bit off base.

        Reply
  41. Leigh Kilsdonk

    December 11, 2013 at 10:02 am

    I first found out about this video of cows being abused on the 10:00 news last night. As an animal lover, it broke me heart. People who abuse animals deserve to serve time in jail.

    Reply
  42. Scott

    September 18, 2014 at 7:00 am

    I still like this video the best!!

    Reply

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You know those people who wear foam cheese wedges on their head? I’m one of them. Cheesehead-hat-hair is the bane of my existence. I am a proud Wisconsin dairy farmer, a mom and a wife. I say things I shouldn’t say entirely too often. Good cheese and beer are my love language. When I die I hope to have pre-written one of those funny obituaries that goes viral. If you want to know more ->

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