Save the cows
"There is nothing as relaxing as a field of cows" - quote from an astrophysicist Image credit: Stuart
What is my problem? Scientifically (i.e. based on stuff in the real world) there is no evidence that homeopathy is any better than a placebo. Homeopaths claim that diluting a substance (in DHMO), until there isn't much chance that a single atom of it is left, will help cure various illnesses, reduce stress, and even ward-off flies. The mechanism for this is the claim that water has a "memory" of what was previously in it. That memory apparently cures people (and cows). Nobody has shown that this is actually the case. Do homeopaths think about the dinosaur poo that was once in the water they're drinking?
Homeopathy is junk science at a level even lower than the "science" in beauty product adverts. Proper science does big trials, controls for variables, uses real statistics, and reports negatives too. I'm not a pseudo-scientist so I have a questioning mind and can entertain other possibilities. As a thought experiment let us assume that homeopathic treatments can help prevent or even cure diseases. That sounds like powerful stuff. With our open minds, we should also consider the possibility that homeopathic treatments have bad effects.
Just because something is "natural" doesn't make it safe. Radon gas is natural in Cornwall but its existence increases the chance of cancer. Uranium is also natural but I wouldn't sprinkle it on my cornflakes. Also, just because something has been "in common practice for centuries" doesn't make it safe. Lead paint (lead is natural) was common for centuries and even used in cosmetics. It wasn't (and isn't) safe. In our thought experiment in which homeopathy works, it might also harm us.
Are we safe? After all, some homeopathic treatments use deadly poisons as raw materials. Real medicines declare the side-effects. Perhaps homeopaths are reckless types who couldn't care less about the safety of people or cows.
The upshot of all this is that I'm boycotting Yeo Valley and have become disappointed in the Soil Association too after reading their take. If they think homeopathy works, I want them to conduct large scale safety trials to check for detrimental effects on their cows and effects further up the food chain. While they're doing that, they could also check if homeopathy is statistically better than a placebo. I await the findings with interest.
Please save cows from pseudo-science.
Comments: Save the cows
Me too! See
Posted by Zeno on Friday 21st Jan 2011 (23:43 UTC)
Ah! The link disappeared:
http://www.zenosblog.com/2011/01/pseudo-science-down-on-the-farm/
Posted by Zeno on Friday 21st Jan 2011 (23:44 UTC)
I came upon this blog after intermittent bouts of laugher and crying after examining my (very tasty) pot of yeo valley yoghurt. I could'nt work out at first whether they were joking about using homeopathy on their cows; just the thought of it seems so comical! After checking their website, my fears were confirmed. They are idiots.
The only thing that can be said about homepathy (and whether this is always a good thing is certainly debatable), is that sometimes the placebo effect can sometimes avoid the use of more invasive treatment-although obviously this only applies to people that don't realise what homeopathy actually is.. Although the thought of a cow getting a placebo effect after being slipped a couple of sugar pills still cracks me up! :D
Posted by Tom Ant on Wednesday 13th Apr 2011 (09:50 UTC)
Boycott, boycott, boycott.
I have a friend who is considering taking her very poorly dog to a "holistic vet". How do you tell a worried pet owner that they are not doing the best thing by their beloved pet? Answer: You can't. And these alt-med criminals know it. They must be destroyed.
Posted by Craig on Wednesday 27th Apr 2011 (09:24 UTC)
Organic cows aren't allowed to be given routine treatments of antibiotics like normal cows do. This is why homeopathic treatments are used to prevent the heifers and cows from going through a stressful time. The milk you drink and the yoghurts you eat on a daily basis that aren't organic have antiobiotics in them that end up entering your bloodstream. This is why at least Yeo Valley are doing something to stop their cows and heifers being uncomfortable and suffering.
If you had any knowledge about the dairy industry, you would realise the kind of obscene and horrifying stuff our cows are put through day after day instead of boycotting Yeo Valley, a company that does all it can to keep its cows healthy and well fed.
www.milkmyths.org.uk - visit this site and expand your knowledge on what the REAL dairy industry does to our cows.
When I was younger, I lived on a farm and our cows were never put through what they do nowadays.
I know a number of people that have had alternative medicine treatment and it has been successful; ultimately, at least the food you eat is ethically produced unlike the supermarket "organic" brands that don't value animal welfare like Yeo Valley.
Sorry if this sounded like a rant, I've just been researching the dairy industry and animal welfare and it appals me that people are boy-cotting ethical brands like Yeo Valley when we should be boycotting unethical brands like Dairy Crest.
Posted by Jo on Sunday 15th May 2011 (16:27 UTC)
There is no scientific evidence that homeopathic treatments help the cows. There is no evidence that the homeopathic remedies make the cows less stressful than if they had no remedy at all. Where is the scientific evidence that the homeopathic remedies have no negative effects on the cows?
I think cows deserve better than human-aimed fairy tales.
I cannot support the unethical behaviour of YeoValley in this regard. If they were to stop giving homeopathic treatments to cows, whilst continuing to keep the use of antibiotics to a minimum, I would gladly return to them as a customer. Meanwhile, I'll look for more ethical producers.
Posted by Stuart on Sunday 15th May 2011 (22:24 UTC)
I've been looking for an alternative myself to all these big supermarket brands.
Even though Yeo Valley promotes organic milk, there are no EU laws that state that organic cows aren't allowed to be artificially inseminated and genetically enhanced :( As long as their diet is organic and their health is 'organically' treated, it's good.
This world is so unfair... have you come across any brands that produce milk and dairy products ethically? This kind of stuff makes me wanna be a vegan!
Posted by Jo on Monday 16th May 2011 (15:26 UTC)
I believe you can find these articles as hard copies for free at the British Library if you are anywhere near London. I have access to them through my university,and so far I've read paper 9 for my most recent Pharmacology essay :)
Posted by Jo on Monday 16th May 2011 (15:31 UTC)
I believe you can find these articles as hard copies for free at the British Library if you are anywhere near London. I have access to them through my university,and so far I've read paper 9 for my most recent Pharmacology essay :)
Posted by Jo on Monday 16th May 2011 (15:31 UTC)
Just discovered this after sending an email to yeo valley about the use of homeopathy. I cannot take them seriously or trust their methods for caring for their cattle if they believe in this nonsense.
Permanent boycott from me. muppets.
Posted by Conrad on Thursday 06th Oct 2011 (12:29 UTC)
There is nothing ethical about exploiting animals for our own needs - the whole idea of producing milk in the first place is frankly pretty sick and yet we have been doing it for a quite a while. It has shaped the countryside we live in. Now we add antibiotics to food and scientifically we also know that their overuse simply breeds superbugs that are immune. There is no such thing as minimal use - once you start you can't stop and you must use more and more and eventually we will run out of effective antibiotic options. We do this despite our scientific knowledge of evolution. So if you wanna get on your high horse and elevate scientific practice up there with the gods then go ahead. Science as we practice it does not explain all phenomena - it can't because we do not know everything. Higgs Boson was a load of cods wollop until recently - nothing more than an unproved idea. I come from Australia where we often just get on & do things (unlike you Brits) despite the lack of "proof" and certainty. Shows in our healthy economy too - we aren't stifled by scientific zealots. I love Yeo Valley milk n yogurt mostly because it just tastes damn fine. When you consider the caring of the land, the animals , the staff and farmers that Yeo Valley also offer it is a no brainer for me. So all you zealot sceptics go feed on your antibiotic laden milk and leave the good stuff to the rest of us! I will drink a pint of yummy antibiotic free Yeo Valley milk while learning about Higgs Boson and how gravity and thus mass is the remnant of the instability that lead to the big bang an instant before our universe all began. Do something useful and boycott supermarkets who refuse to pay what milk is really worth.
Posted by Mark Soyamilk on Monday 23rd Jul 2012 (18:07 UTC)
Where exactly did I advocate the use of antibiotics? I didn't. I was questioning the safety of homeopathic treatments.
Perhaps you failed to spot the irony that a "scientific" argument would actually say that homeopathic treatments were safe.
Boringly, you turned this into the same old tired stances.
Posted by Stuart on Saturday 04th Aug 2012 (08:48 UTC)
Posted by Stuart on Saturday 04th Aug 2012 (08:54 UTC)