Thoughts and Reflections on "Mother Cow"

Katie Taylor, World History 2                                                                                  October 31, 2013

Thoughts and Reflections On: "Mother Cow"
Cows, Pigs, Wars and Witches by Marvin Hams

Cows have many importances in india. They are considered to be sacred beings that are symbols for everything that is alive. In America thousands of cows are killed on a regular basis and their reason to be raised is almost always for food, but in India cows serve more important functions than being used for hamburger meat. Cow's many important uses in India helps justify the tens of thousands of cows being kept alive. Even though Indian cows produce only a fraction of the amount of milk as American dairy cows their milk is still important source of nutrients for many people. Cows additionally give birth to oxen which are farmers primary choice for plowing fields and cows eat the crops that humans would turn away, turning these useless crops into useful manure. Cow manure has a surprising importance in India because it is used not only as an excellent fertilizer and house flooring material, but also as slow burning cooking fuel in many of India's kitchens. Cows are not only important when alive but also when they die they can be used for leather and are occasionally used for meat, although that is frowned on.    

 

        Despite the fact that there are many ideas as to why cows are seen as so sacred in India, the author believes the real reason is that they supply millions of people with jobs and income and because of their many invaluable uses. 

         Unlike Indian farms, American farms do not rely on cows to serve numerous functions, instead they have taken alternative more industrial routs.  Where cows are used to plow and pull carts in India, Americans farm using machinery. Where cow manure is used for fertilizer Americans use chemicals.  The Indian way of farming clearly more environmentally friendly  because they make use of natural occurring resources like manure instead of introducing harsh chemicals and eliminate the need for pollution producing heavy machinery by using cows. In India the cows are used more efficiently because they have more uses despite the fact that Indian cows produce a fraction of the amount of milk American cows do.