http://www.rspca.org.au/admin/Sharedfiles/rspca%20analysis%20of%20mla%20le%20standards%20report_04-02-08.pdf

An interesting and timely document considering the recent discussions here about the RSPCA.

Nah PF, cows vary in behaviour. Some are placid and enjoy being
milked, so that makes life simple. Some have "mad cow disease",
so best to avoid them :)

No, no Yabby, you have that arse about. Mad cow disease is the result of the cow spending too much time in the company of an incompetent snake handler.

As for the snake that prefers to take advantage of 'bulling' cows, he winds up becoming his own handler most of the time.

*Mad cow disease is the result of the cow spending too much time in the company of an incompetent snake handler.*

Nope PF, its a brain disease, those mad cows just can't help
themselves lol.

Milk today is a common commoditiy, available in many flavours.
Those cows keep forgetting them none of them has a patent on it :)

Easiest to just to let somebody else feed the cows and sneak an
odd glass of milk now and then.

Actually, Mad Cow Disease occurs because PEOPLE feed cattle the remains of other animals (from the spinal cord/s, I think). So you're right, they can't help it, especially if they're in feedlots, I'd reckon. It's supposed to be illegal to feed herbivorous animals other animals in Australia, but who knows?

Yabby, have you read the RSPCA's new report on the ALES yet? Excellent, as far as it goes.
Cheers
Nicky

Nicky's right about this. As I recall, the etiology of the proliferation of BSE in the UK was clearly identified to be the feeding of ground animal meal, that included bovine neural material, to cattle in feedlots.

Did anybody listen to Qld ABC Country Hour yesterday? There was an interview with a guy from the RSPCA who was asserting strongly that Australia's animal welfare standards for live exports are among the highest in the world. I think he actually said "world's best practice" or something to that effect.