Cowboy Willie Nelson Stands Up For Cows

Posted Mar 26th 2008 2:04PM by TMZ Staff

Cowboy Willie Nelson stands up for cows Willie Nelson thinks you should know a thing or two about some cows. The country crooner is joining in on a campaign along with the Animal Legal Defense Fund to raise awareness about cruel-and illegal-living conditions for calves raised to produce milk for dairy products. ~~Moo!~~ Boo!

Specifically, they are targeting Land O'Lakes and Challenge Dairy to get them to stop using milk from calves that come from California's Mendes Calf Ranch - which employs an intensive confinement practice (keeping calves in cramped, filthy crates - sometimes without room to turn around or lie down) and is the subject of a lawsuit brought by the ALDF.

Nelson has written a letter to the companies and is urging others to join the petition, www.FreeBabyMendes.com, that is already 22,000 people strong.

TMZ.com contacted Mendes Calf Ranch who had no comment on the issue.

Mommas, don't let your baby calves grow up to be milk cows at Mendes indeed.

Reader Comments

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46. Ok, stupid people. Calves can't give milk,morons, only cows can, cows being a heifer (female cow) that has had a baby and then lactates to feed the baby calf (more than one calf is called CALVES). what a bunch of idiots. I think what they are referring to are VEAL CALVES which are kept penned up in tiny little pens where they can't move and they are usually castrated BOY COWS (STEERS)
IDIOTS!

Posted at 10:29AM on Mar 27th 2008 by gt2fly 4u

47. ps, all new-born calves are normally kept in pens with little "huts" to keep them from getting hurt and to reduce the risk of the spread of disease, as all new born calves are very susceptible to parasites and organisms, and bacteria which are very easily spread among those allowed to mingle as cows are not very sanitary animals.

Posted at 10:36AM on Mar 27th 2008 by gt2fly 4u

48. I THINK MR Willie Nelson .HAS HIT 1 TO MANY PIPES ....WHERE WE LIVE WE EAT COWS..DEER...ELK..BEARS ...COUJAR..FISH...LAMB ....TURKEY..DUCKS ....AND THE BEST OF ALL IS RATTLE SNAKE...THAT BEING SAID WHATS THE PROBLEM ITS ALL GODS FOOD ......LMAO AT ALL THE PEOPLE AT THERE THAT HAS TO TRY TO SAVE THE DAMN WORLD.....

Posted at 10:47AM on Mar 27th 2008 by the meat eater

49. I guess those cows are not as happy as the commercials make them out to be...bastards...

Posted at 11:28AM on Mar 27th 2008 by JackieMichele

50. Please! Milk em, Kill em, EAT em. I am a member in good standing of PETA - People Eating Tasty Animals.

Posted at 1:09PM on Mar 27th 2008 by Bob2

51. dave, I've got a PHD and run a boutique advertising agency in Los Angeles that caters to organic and vegetarian causes. What can you claim? I have read countless books on the subject of food, animal welfare and farming. I have toured and lectured. If I'm so "fing stupid" then please tell me your credentials so I can find out who thinks I'm stupid. BTW, I eat good food. Not crap. I have not been sick for over 5 years and I look pretty damn hot.

Posted at 1:39PM on Mar 27th 2008 by Little Lor Lor

52. Thank you, Willie.....

Posted at 3:54PM on Mar 27th 2008 by Jan

53. # 51 well good for u we dont live in ca but we do live in gods counry and no 1 here has being sick from eating cows .deers .elk ducks.turkeys .pigs.coujars.bears...and big horns ...so wats up with all you people tring to save the world just dont get it so i dont care in you have all the damn phd in the world your stupid ......LMAO

Posted at 4:21PM on Mar 27th 2008 by dave

54. Nothing raised in a dark crate is gonna taste good no matter how you cook it up people.

Posted at 4:46PM on Mar 27th 2008 by GrannyPants

55. I cannot imagine anyone still eating veal after seeing how those poor little calves are treated: Taken away from their mothers before they can even stand up without wobbling. I stopped eating veal a long time ago. If more people would do the same, maybe it would have a positive effect on the whole cruel procedure.

Posted at 5:35PM on Mar 27th 2008 by Mary Saunders

56. Poor Willie is slipping more and more into dementia everyday.

Posted at 6:17PM on Mar 27th 2008 by USA1

57. I grew up on a dairy. I actually know exactly where Mendes calf ranch is and live close to it. You need to investigate for yourselves BEFORE you listen to animal rights' activists - and that goes for anyone championing a cause, including environmentalists! These calves are actually treated wonderfully. They are fed well, taken care of and very healthy. It is better for them to be in their pen then in danger. They are only at Mendes Calf Ranch for a short time and then they are sent back to the dairies where they were born - where they roam free once they are old enough. Cows and calves are always treated fairly. This makes me sick.

Posted at 7:43PM on Mar 27th 2008 by Allie

58.
ATTN, PLEASE: Mr. Willie Nelson's Mom put him in a crib for the first part of his life because she loved him, he turned out alright. (I THINK!) Most babys spend the first few months of thier life in cribs. It's the same for baby calfs!

Posted at 9:23PM on Mar 27th 2008 by Art

59. Yay WILLIE! Speak for those that can't...

Posted at 1:14PM on Mar 28th 2008 by tanya kristine

60. I grew up on a dairy not far from the MCR. The fact is that the calves are raised in crates for their own safety and sanitation. MCR is very focus on the safety and health of the animals that they raise. The article doesn’t mention that the calves are bottle fed 2 times a day. If you have every bottle fed a baby calf then you would know that they are indeed "Happy Cows". If you follow a healthy diet and consume meat and dairy products, where do you think it comes from? Come on people think, the milk doesn't just come from the grocery store! Agriculturalists have the responsibility to produce the best quality, safest, cheapest food while using the best possible environmental and animal husbandry practices. And I think California Farmers do an awesome job! Willie go pay your taxes and leave MCR alone!

Posted at 1:45PM on Mar 28th 2008 by California Gal

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