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Kobe lived 21 of his 24 months on pastures on The 3-Bell Ranch. He was never subjected to the moo-hell of feedlots or toxic foods. Rather he lived on 30 acres of pasture, 1/3 of which was replanted last year. He shared this pasture with his childhood friend, Bruiser, and 10 other moos introduced in September, 2010. As far as I know he had a couple of really awful days in his life-- Those were the day Kobe-White-Face died and the following day when he and Bruiser mourned the loss of their dear friend.

I am committed to humane treatment of our animals. I raise my animals in rich social environments on quality pasture. I make every effort to consider the physical, social and emotional well-being of our animal from birth to death.

There has been a learning curve here.

Whereas Kobe died without stress or fear, we did not adequately consider the impact there would be on his moo-friends who discovered his demise through the scent of his blood left in their winter pasture. Willie in particular, was devastated. I report this to you, the reader, to tell you-- and to show you (The 3-Bell Ranch video, Who's Your Beef)-- that the capacity of love, devotion and empathy of one moo for another is something to which most people give no thought.

The vast majority of people purchase their meat from the local grocery store. There is no way to know how the animal whose meat you eat was treated or considered during his life. Beyond "did s/he eat pesticides? herbicides? FrankenFoods?; did s/he live his/her life in the squalor of a feedlot?, there is the consideration of what the quality of his social and emotional life was. I fervently believe that no mass producer or processor can attend to the overall well-being of an animal to the level at which a small farmer can.

No comparison can be made between the experience Kobe, Willie or the other animals have had on The 3-Bell Ranch to those raised in the Factory Farm. There is only contrast.

"CAFO - The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories :: The Book, Essays." CAFO - The Tragedy of Industrial Animal Factories. UC Press Distribution , 1 July 2010. Web. 24 Jan. 2011.