New tail-docking bill may make California's dairy cows happier

California state Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez (D-Shafter) has introduced a bill, SB 135, which would outlaw the common procedure of docking dairy cows' tails except "during an individual treatment, emergency or operation, if the treatment or operation is performed by a veterinarian for veterinary purposes" with proper anesthesia. 

"With no added benefit to the safety of our food supply, tail docking is nothing more than needless animal cruelty which must be stopped," Florez said.  "I believe the dairy industry will find that living up to California's claim of 'happy cows' is a win-win with a positive benefit to them as well, as decreasing stress in dairy cows ultimately leads to increased milk production."

Proponents of tail docking say the practice improves hygiene in dairy cows.  But it's illegal in many parts of Europe, including the U.K. and the Netherlands.  It's opposed by the American Veterinary Medical Assn. except in the case of medical necessity; the group's stated position is that the practice "provides no benefit to the animal and that tail docking can lead to distress during fly seasons."

"Scientific studies have shown that mutilation of the tail causes serious welfare problems for dairy cows, including distress, pain and increased vulnerability to insect attacks," Michael Greger, director of public health and animal agriculture for the Humane Society of the United States, said in a press conference today.  "Tail-docking never had a scientific rationale, and it's been exposed now as little more than a routine and pointless type of mutilation."

Florez is seen by many as a powerful advocate for animal welfare.  The San Diego Union-Tribune reports:

Significantly, the state Senate also has redefined the mission of the former Agriculture Committee, now called the Food and Agriculture Committee....

Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, the new chairman, has a history of tangling with agriculture over food safety. He plans an oversight hearing next week to explore livestock welfare issues.

"This is a game-changer," said Jennifer Fearing, the Sacramento-based chief economist of the Humane Society of the United States. "There was no place in the Legislature to have a forum about farm animal welfare."

While she does not expect immediate action, Fearing said the humane society is hoping the committee will eventually take up reforms to make poultry slaughtering more humane.

Tail docking is already outlawed for horses in California; SB 135 would add the words "and cattle" to the law's language.

--Lindsay Barnett

Photo: Lisa Kyle/for the Times

Comments

[pork chop]

Actually if you took the time to READ the bill instead of printing what the H$U$ TELLS you it says.. it does not replece horse wiht horses/cattle.. It replaces it wiht ANIMAL.. dogs, sheep, horse, cattle.. ANIMALS.. read it for your self..
In the mean time.. this is a NON problem looking for PRESS and you are again giving it to the Animal Rights people.. ..who really don;t care about cows.. except for CASH COWS
Before this brouhaha..has anyone actually taken the time to see how many cows are docked in the state ( and I mean IN THE STATE.. not in the world.because we are "making laws for California, so far we do not have jurisdiction over other states.. .) Is it one in 10, 20, 500 , 1000.. just how many "docked cows" are there in CA??
Seems Florez should have more "pressing problems" on his hands than the rear end of a cow... perhaps the citizens of the state shoud realise.. WE are the ones being "milked"

[Tom K]

The most humiliating part of this is that someone has once again believed a statement from the HSUS.

[Tom K]

I dare you people to open up the comments section for this article.

[Guinea Pig Zed]

Your photographer shot the wrong end?
Never heard of it till now.
Do the cows in the adds have fake Hollywood tails?

[BP]

Seems like an unnecessary procedure that causes suffering to some of God's creatures. Despite all the HSUS haters, I hope it passes.

[MaryF]

Thank you very much for this information, which should be of iterest to anyone who opposes unnecessary animal suffering. Thank you also for including a link to the bill, so we can indeed read it ourself.

Hooray for Senator Florez!! Tail docking should have been banned long ago. It should never have been allowed in the first place. It is done merely for the convenience of dairy workers - and perhaps for sadistic reasons by some people. There is no valid reason for it, and no good reason to oppose its prohibition. It cannot be banned soon enough. See: http://tinyurl.com/csk9x7

[Lindsay Barnett, L.A. Times]

Hi pork chop, in response to your comment, we provided a link in this post to the text of the proposed legislation (you can read it by clicking on the linked text "SB 135"). The text, which is part of the California Senate's website rather than the HSUS' website, reads in part:

SECTION 1. Section 597n of the Penal Code is amended to read:
597n. (a) Any person who cuts the solid part of the tail of any horse or cattle in the operation known as "docking," or in any other operation performed for the purpose of shortening the tail of any horse or cattle, within the State of California, or procures the same to be done, or imports or brings into this state any docked animal, or drives, works, uses, races, or deals in any unregistered docked horse, or horses, within the State of California except as provided in Section 597r, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Feel free to read the full text at the California State Senate's website here:
http://www.sen.ca.gov/

Thanks for your comment and I hope you'll familiarize yourself with all available information on this subject, whatever your feelings may be about the HSUS.

[Frank]

well at least we put deans mother out to pasture. her tail was docked quite well in the last election, perhaps this was his motivation.

[CKing]

Hooray for California - tail docking is another cruelty inflicted on animals. I hope this bill passes and I wish there were more people who stand up for what is right and what is just. Cruelty to animals for any reason is simply wrong....

[Moomoogrl33]

All you enviromentalist need to wake up and smell the coffee. your more worried about animals over people. just let the ag industry be, because in reality without them you would have no milk on the table, butter, and all of the other dairy products. Also im sure that most of you PETA people still eat your hamburgers and steak and wear leather clothing hmm where do those come from this bill is just another way to try to put down our dairy industry and ag overall but i want to see what all you tree huggers will be doing when ago no longer exists. Have you ever realized how much food california provides for not only california but also for the rest of the world???.... well maybe you should think about it sometime. I know that was a little off the topic BUT it all relates and falls back on the dairy industry..