THE
park of
cows
and buffaloes
At La Garie, cows and buffalo live side by side on two separate plots, covering 11 hectares of woods and fields. They have 128 m² of sheds and shelters. The animals enjoy complete freedom of movement and have constant access to hay.
The sanctuary can accommodate up to ten animals.
TO DISCOVER
SOON !
Who are they?
The species
Origins . They belong to the Bovidae family, which also includes bison, zebu, and yaks. They were domesticated 10,500 years ago in the Sindh region, the lower Indus Valley in Pakistan. Their common ancestor, the now-extinct aurochs, appeared 2 million years ago in India.
Characteristics . There are more than 800 breeds of cows and about 80 breeds of buffaloes in the world. Their life expectancy is about 20 years. Their weight varies between 500 and 900 kg depending on their size, and can reach up to 1,200 kg for buffaloes. Cows can give birth to one calf per year after a gestation period of 9 months (10 months for buffaloes).
Temperament . They are social animals that do not tolerate social isolation. They are curious, intelligent, and playful. They appreciate human presence, especially if they are accustomed to it from birth. However, due to the many constraints imposed on them by their breeding conditions, they retain a certain distrust.
Who are our protégés?
These animals come from farms where breeds are developed that are optimized for milk and meat production. Their birth and living conditions do not in any way meet their physiological, behavioral, and emotional needs.
They arrive at the sanctuary in three scenarios:
Reform cows: those which reach the 'end of their career' on farms and are destined for the slaughterhouse;
Non-compliant cows: animals considered unprofitable from birth;
Court seizures: animals placed following cases of abandonment, abuse and neglect.
Commercial exploitation
Like all female mammals, cows only produce milk after giving birth. A dairy cow begins production at the age of 2 and generates approximately 50,000 liters of milk over her lifetime. She is 'culled' (sent to slaughter) around the age of 8, after giving birth to six calves (which she will never see grow up, as they are taken from her shortly after birth).
Female calves enter the dairy circuit, while males are fattened and slaughtered between 6 and 8 months.
The buffalo is primarily used to produce milk for mozzarella. It produces less milk than a cow, but over a longer period, and this milk is three times more expensive. It is culled at the age of 15, after having borne a dozen calves that it never sees grow up.
👉 In France, 17 million cows and nearly 6,000 buffaloes are farmed.
👉 Annually, more than 4 million cattle are sent to the slaughterhouse.
The numbers
Is it necessary to exploit them?
Humans have a difficult time consuming meat and dairy products. According to current scientific knowledge and the recommendations of health authorities, the risks to human health increase rapidly beyond 500g of red meat and 4 liters of milk (or the equivalent in cheese and yogurt) per week. The average French person exceeds these recommendations by 66% and 36%, respectively.
Did you know?
👉 In France, approximately 700,000 children are born each year, 3% of them through assisted reproduction. For cows, approximately 6 million calves are born, with 60-70% resulting from artificial insemination in the dairy sector (20-30% in the beef sector, as farmers prefer the natural process).
👉 Bovids are vegans. They are ruminant herbivores with four stomachs.
👉 In herds, it is the old females who take the lead.
👉 In breeding, horns are often cut at birth to prevent injuries between these animals, which fight over spaces that are generally too small.
👉 Cattle farming alone is responsible for 9% of greenhouse gases, mainly due to methane production.