Commentary: Hannah Velten's Cow
Hannah Velten wrote an engaging editorial for the British publication Farmer's Weekly about the history of cows and cattle. An excerpt:
But it is only relatively recently that we have started to view the cow as an almost alien being. In our urban, media-led country, cows are either seen as cutesy animals (especially calves) or are seen in a negative light as environment killers (think "Cow farts destroy ozone"), disease-bearing nightmares (think "Mad Cows") or the pitiable wreckage of intensive farming (think "Poor Cows"). . . .So it seems sad to think that the animal that played such a huge role in shaping civilisations has been reduced to a commercial milking machine, a sperm donor, a walking larder and a provider of leather. I'm hoping that Cow will reintroduce the public (and also farmers) to this remarkable animal, by recognising what cattle have contributed to our culture, and also to instill some respect for what cattle produce for us—they work so hard; I am just trying to repay my debt of gratitude.
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