RICHMOND, NORTH YORKSHIRE – NEWS AND OPINION: David Clark was an extremely popular, brilliant and lovely father and teacher. Very sadly, he was trampled to death by cows as he walked his dogs on a footpath that runs alongside a field. Clearly the cows had access to the path and when they are calving they can become protective of their young and attack “intruders” such as Mr Clark. Female cows protecting their calves is a known danger and last year two people were killed by cows in the UK. This is below the five-year average of five deaths per year according to the Health and Safety Executive.
A man living near the spot where Mr Clark was killed said that it was the second time someone had been injured by cattle at this place. The cows have been moved to another field. North Yorkshire police were called at 7:30 pm on a report that a man is 50 had been injured by cows. An air ambulance was called and they arrived at the scene at 6:55 pm. He was declared dead at the scene. He was a deputy head teacher at Richmond School and Sixth Form College and had worked there for 20 years.
Staff and students both praised him. He was described as being the heart and soul of the school taking enormous pride in his work. It was a family man. The community is in shock.
The life of a cow
This is a convenient moment to touch on the life of cow – another distressing story. We cannot forget the animals. It never occurred to me as to how or why cows produce milk as they do constantly. It’s an unnatural unless they are constantly producing offspring. This allows them to lactate. Although cows can live for 20 years normally they are killed at around six years of age on average. Cows are pretty smart and are not just objects in a field. In order for them to produce milk they need to give birth to a calf. Pregnant cows are separated from the herd about two months before they give birth. Farmers separate the calf from the cow within the first few days so the cow can be milked. Cows have a strong maternal instinct. Separating them from their offspring is distressing for them. Both mother and calf will call for each other plaintively and without success. Around 60% of calves are reared in individual pens for the first eight weeks of their life. They have limited access to others and at eight weeks of age they have to be put into groups under EU regulations.
PETA say that eating cheese is no less cruel than eating meat. Cows spend their entire lives forcibly separated from their “beloved babies” and treated as milk producing machines. Then they are slaughtered for burgers and other meat. Cows kill for beef are slaughtered after about 18 months of life while dairy producing cows are slaughtered after 4-5 “miserable years” according to PETA. Their bodies are worn out after constant pregnancies and lactations. They live a pre-slaughter nightmare during which they are denied proper care very often. That is the claim and it appears to be the reality.
