Which Is It

So which image do you think California milk producers want you to think of?<br />n<br />n<a href="http://www.realcaliforniacheese.com/">Real California Cheese Happy Cows</a><br />n<br />n<a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DEAD_LIVESTOCK?SITE=MTBIL&SECTION=BUSINESS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">Heat causes pileup of livestock carcasses</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>The state's record-setting heat wave has killed thousands of dairy cows and other livestock, leaving farmers with piles of carcasses and creating a backup at factories that turn the dead animals into pet food.</blockquote><br />n<br />nI always have to laugh at the happy cows commercials that I see on TV. Does anybody really believe that California dairy cows are out frolicking in green pastures, content with life. Dairy production in California, <u>for the most part but I'm sure there are exceptions</u>, is a feedlot intensive operation and the cows never see any green grass. Just the dirt under their feet in the feedlot.<br />n<br />nThese poor cows must really be suffering under this heat. I feel for them. I know mine aren't comfortable but the can move around and lay in the shade to get away from the heat to some degree. I've heard of ranchers that don't want any trees on their place because they say, "if a cow is laying under a tree in the shade, she is not out grazing and gaining weight." Personally I would rather see them laying under the tree in the shade them killing themselves in the sun. It's supposed to be almost 100 here today so I'm sure they will be laying under the trees resting today. Good for them.<br />n<br />n<strong>If you saw a heat wave, would you wave back? Steven Wright</strong>