© Rob Waterhouse/SXC

It is obvious that tormenting downer cattle—as seen in the videos and photos HSUS undercover investigators recorded at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Co. in Chino, Calif., as well as four livestock auctions across the country—is bad for the animals involved. I've always believed it was also bad for the meat industry, too, and was perplexed by those meat industry representatives who defended a practice that reflected so poorly on their industry and had the potential to inflict such economic damage. For the industry, there's nothing positive about meat recalls, interruptions of operations at slaughter plants, the possible introduction into the food supply of an animal with mad cow disease or some other dangerous pathogen, the closing of export markets, the stigma of cruelty, and the decrease in consumer confidence. It's just not good business.

The industry, in the wake of several HSUS investigations, seems to be recognizing this very point, and there have been a number of commentaries and statements by leaders within different industry sectors about the mistreatment of downer cattle. The American Meat Institute and other players reversed their opposition to a downer ban and petitioned USDA to ban the slaughter of downer cattle. The California Cattlemen's Association and other agriculture groups are supporting a bill, A.B. 2098, in California to upgrade the state law against selling, transporting, or slaughtering downer cows. Good for them.

And this week, I picked up in my daily news clippings the most emphatic and gracious commentary from an industry leader to date. I paste below a column from Dan Gralian, president of the Nevada Cattlemen's Association, and it's worth your time to read it. I send my thanks to Mr. Gralian for his statement and his principled position.

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Cattleman can be an animal rights activist
By DAN L. GRALIAN—President of the Nevada Cattlemen's Association

Friday, May 23, 2008 2:50 PM PDT

As a livestock producer, I am not an “animal rights activist.” But, I am an advocate for proper care and handling of livestock—and for that matter all animals in general.

When the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) released a film they had taken with a hidden camera of a “downer” cow being abused by employees of the Hallmark/Westland packing plant in California, we all said it was deplorable but an “isolated” incident.

As it turns out, we were wrong.

As part of the organization's ongoing investigation, the HSUS sent camera carrying undercover investigators to four livestock auction barns in four states—Maryland, New Mexico, Texas and Pennsylvania.

They selected the Texas auction barn because they had received a complaint. They had long-standing concerns about the Pennsylvania facility and the New Mexico auction barn was chosen for its close proximity to the feedlots. Maryland was selected because it was close to Washington, D.C.

The HSUS claims it found cases of downer cow abuses at all four locations. And I believe the HSUS. I saw the photographs it posted on its Web page. In one case in Westminster, Md., a downer cow was left lying unattended outside a sale barn area even after they closed for the night. The next day the HSUS investigator called the local humane society to dispatch the animal with a firearm and put her out of her misery.

You can see this footage and more on the Web site www.hsus.org.

I am embarrassed! I am ashamed! And I am outraged!

Now we ranchers can say, “That's not us, we are livestock producers. We make our living caring for the livestock we raise. It's the packing plants, the auction barns and dairy guys. They're the guilty ones.”

Well like it or not, they are still a part of our industry. Besides that, somebody had to send that weakened animal to the auction barn or packing plant in the first place. We had better clean up our act, and we had better do it fast.

I can understand how a cow being shipped to auction or slaughter may become a “downer.” She could become ill or injured on the truck. These things happen. But it should not be commonplace. Not unless crippled or weakened cattle are being shipped. In these cases, they should be humanely put down (euthanized) at home and not loaded on a truck.

At home, we need to take a look at our own operations and see what we may need to do to improve our livestock handling facilities. We need to sit down and talk with our family members and employees about proper livestock care and humane handling practices. Maybe some of us should re-evaluate the parameters we set on qualifying cull cattle for salvage through sale or harvest. Perhaps we need to add a few pages to the Nevada Beef Quality Assurance Handbook on proper animal treatment and welfare.
The new Western Regional Beef Quality Assurance Handbook contains one chapter dedicated entirely to care and handling of livestock. This handbook can be viewed at http://bqa.wsu.edu.

In Carson City and Washington, D.C., we need to set policy and pass legislation. As HSUS President Wayne Pacelle stated in his press release about their findings concerning downer cows, “No one is taking responsibility for these animals. Not the USDA. Not the auction barns. Not the industry.”

Pacelle is calling for comprehensive anti-downer legislation. Legislation that clearly states who will be responsible. Who is going to euthanize these downer cattle, how will it be done and in what time frame.
As the president of the Nevada Cattlemen's Association I would like to thank Pacelle and the Humane Society of the United States for bringing this deplorable matter to our attention. And I want to assure him and the public in general that we cattlemen will address this issue and in a timely manner. The Livestock Marketing Association and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association are working on it right now and we will not let them drop the ball.

Perhaps I am an Animal Rights Activist after all!