Very interesting feature article in today’s Guardian, “A tale of two herds,” which juxtaposes the proposed mega-dairy for Nocton, Lincolnshire and the treatment of a small herd of cows cared for by the Hare Krishnas at their Hertfordshire estate.

I like how the feature contrasts the attitude towards dairy cows by Peter Willes, one of two directors backing the mega-dairy, who says, “Cows do not belong in fields,” with Hare Krishna Shyamasundara, who says their cows are

part of our community. They give us their lifeblood in the form of milk and we care for them all their life. Of all the animals in the world the cow is the most important to humans. The cow replaces the role of the mother. You wouldn’t bump your mum off if she stopped giving milk.