On 3/04/2015 1:36 AM, Christina Wahl wrote:
> Geoff,
>
>
> "The point here is what happens to a cow, dairy or otherwise when she has to forage for herself. So you ask a husbandman."
>
>
> The challenge in testing the claim here is twofold:  One, no husbandman will willingly release a dairy cow to fend for herself without compensation for loss of milk (and probably the cow too, I doubt that any dairy farmer would believe that "Number 2069" would be able to stay healthy on her own in the neighboring state park).

I am willing to put my hand up as a husbandman who has.  True, most if 
not all dairy cows in this country are not housed, and spend their time 
between milkings in a paddock with green forage available.  I live on 
what in this country is called a bush block, or if mentioned in the 
press 'rugged steep bushland'.  In the days when I had a house cow(s) 
they spent their time grazing, and to some extent browsing in this 
country.  If they were dry virtually all their time.  These all 
originated from a functioning dairy, most from a locally well known 
Jersey stud.  In fact if not mustered regularly they became effectually 
feral.



Geoff Manning

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