Good Over Evil

Today is the first day of the Festival of Lights, also known as Diwali. This festival is as important to Hindus as the Christmas holiday is to Christians. Hindus interpret the Diwali story based on where they live. But there’s one common theme no matter where people celebrate: the victory of good over evil. Diwali is a five-day joyous festival that takes place in the middle of the holy month of Karthik. It includes Govardhana Puja, the celebration of Lord Krishna lifting Govardhana Hill to protect the cows and Vrindaban residents from tumultuous storms.

At this auspicious time, we have taken the opportunity to launch the second and last Matching Gift Challenge for the year. An anonymous donor will match up to $25,000.00 given by ISCOWP donors by the end of the year. Please help us meet the second challenge and bring the forces of light and goodness into your life!

Together we met the first $25,000 challenge for the year. Thank you! It covered the herd’s hay costs for one year. However, there are a few other herd needs that you can help provide for the cows by donating now to this second challenge. Please read the following to find out what else the cows need. Don’t forget, you can always Adopt A Cow!

Nutritional Buckets for the Herd

Nutritional buckets for the herd cost $3300.00 a year at $226.00 a bucket with one bucket per month. “It can be difficult to ensure your cattle have a balanced diet rich in essential minerals once you allow them to range and forage throughout a large pasture. Mineral tubs can be the answer to making sure your cattle have the proper nutrition.

Mineral tubs are large tubs or blocks of solid feed blended with several essential minerals that may include calcium, magnesium, cobalt, copper, iodine, zinc, selenium, potassium, manganese, and other critical minerals and vitamins. The blocks are often flavored with a tasty treat, such as molasses, to entice cattle to lick and nibble. Because of the density of the blocks, however, the cattle cannot overindulge – instead, they often get just a few licks of the block each time they visit and must wait for the block to soften slightly before they can get another taste. This ensures the minerals are available to more animals and that individual cattle cannot overdose themselves with too many minerals.” Florida Farm & Feed

Grains for the Babies and Injured Nara

Grains for the babies and the injured ox Nara cost $3650.00 a year at $10. 00 a bag, with one bag given daily. “At birth, the dairy calf’s digestive system is underdeveloped. From birth to about two weeks of age, the calf is a monogastric, or simple-stomached, animal. The abomasum is the only stomach compartment actively involved in digestion, and milk or milk replacer provides nutrients. As the calf begins to eat dry feeds, particularly grains containing readily fermentable carbohydrates, the rumen plays a more important role. The stomach compartments grow and change as the calf develops into a ruminant animal.” PennState Extension Grain is essential for healthy rumen development and offers additional support for healing in an injured ox like Nara.

Fly Predators for the Herd

Fly Predators for the herd cost $1400.00 for one year at $107.00 a box of bugs spread on the fields every 28 days. The meat and dairy industries are very concerned about controlling their fly population because the flies cause such discomfort to the cows that their milk and body weight can decrease and therefore lessen the industries’ profit margin. Through the years, we have observed how miserable the cows can become when there are too many flies. Since we have been using Fly Predators, there have been fewer flies.