[interestica]

> I think it's obvious that the calves and some of the cows are eventually sent for slaughter. A small dairy like the one above can only maintain so many animals at a time.

Why is that obvious? Who handles the slaughter? It raises the question about this particular place demonstrating their ethics (they went with the name ethical dairy!) but also leaving out valid questions about the animals. In terms of ethics, is it better if the slaughter was handled by the same farm that raised the animals? Because, is it still 'ethical' if after highlighting how well you treat the animals, and after the utility of the animals has ceased, you pass them on to another system that may not treat them as well? On a linked page[1] they say: "Eventually the cows and the bull calves will enter the food chain for meat." and it just seems like such a weird way of phrasing to distance the reader from the realities. (They mention they send them for slaughter but do some in-house: "Around half of our bull calves are finished on our farm" -- again, using the phrasing 'finished' to distance the reader from the realities of it.)

> This is a dairy farm, so it should not be expected to abide by the ethics of vegan people.

I don't think anyone has suggested that. The initial critique was just for what was not said.

[1] https://www.theethicaldairy.co.uk/blog/ethical-dairy-system

edit: corrected 'may not' and added sentence on 'finished'

[taxcoder]

> again, using the phrasing 'finished' to distance the reader from the realities of it.

Generally, finishing refers to a final fattening or other feeding meant to prepare the animal for slaughter. For example, link 1 is one of the first that came up in a search for cattle finishing. Being able to finish half of their bull calves means they are keeping that many on their farm, likely on pasture and in sane conditions, rather than shipping them to feedlots.

Edit: They then ship them to the abbatoir for slaughter.

https://www.agriculture.com/livestock/cattle/to-capitalize-o...

[interestica]

Thanks for that. I learned something here.

On a related note, is 'abbatoir' the prefered term in the industry over 'slaughterhouse'?

[taxcoder]

In my experience1, it is more common in European writings. American usage seems to be mainly by those who reject the "industrial agricultural complex" in favor of farms which provide more natural environments and biodiversity.

1 I grew up on a small "grass farm" reading Stockman Grass Farmer, Joel Salatin's writings, etc. and still pay some attention to what goes on.

[tomcam]

I have no problem with animals being slaughtered for food. We are all part of the food chain. But I have to agree, it really rubs me wrong way when people use terms like “harvest“ or “finish” when they really mean slaughter.