Cows and bullocks are revered by Hare Krishnas and at their farm, New Govardhana, they even have a cow retirement village.
Key points:
- Hare Krishna devotees have created a retirement village for ageing cows and bullocks
- The animals are serenaded in their final days
- There are about 80 cows and bullocks at the farm
Hare Krishna devotees have been breeding cows and bullocks at the farm, near Murwillumbah in northern New South Wales, since 1977.
The paddocks are specially levelled, food and water is kept close to the animals, and they are even serenaded in their dying moments.
Krsna Kirtana has been caring for and training cows and bullocks for 30 years.
"We have a nursing home, they have shelters there and they have a nice level grazing field," he said.
"We take care of their ailments. The vet frequently visits.
"Right up to their final breath they're taken care of.
"We play nice soothing music for them and chants — they live a nice life."
They most certainly do.
Bovine families together
Most animals spend their entire lives on the lush 405-hectare property nestled in the foothills of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) National Park, a sacred place to the Bundjalung people.
"It's quite unique," Krsna said.
"It's probably the only farm where you'll find father, grandfather, uncles, aunties, daughters and sisters living on a property for their whole life.
"They're very attached to one another.
"If you separate them they certainly let you know."
In an exception, Krsna recently took on two cows from a nearby farm. Their fate would have been very different.
"You hear mothers in other farms when they take the calves away to slaughter — they cry for 24 up to 48 hours," he said.
"All our cows and bulls live their whole lives here and they're never slaughtered or sent off the farm."
New Govardhana also has a temple on-site, a school, huge organic vegetable gardens, a yoga retreat and pristine streams and swimming holes.
The Hindu Lord Krishna is said to have loved cows, while the founder of the Hare Krishna movement, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, said that "the happiness of mankind is directly connected to the happiness of the cows".
The devotees at New Govardhana say their mission is to serve, worship and protect cows while also educating others in the principles of cow protection.
Krsna loves and respects his animal charges and says the key to training them is a nice, relaxing pace.
Training bullocks
The more feisty bullocks are trained to haul logs from the hills.
"They're the traditional ute," Krsna said.
"We want to show the positive nature of training bulls for the purpose of farming and helping out on the property."
Those with calmer temperaments are specially trained to be around people at festivals.
"If I'm taking two bulls and a bullock cart on a festival with young children, I've got to make sure these bulls are going to behave," he said.
"When I tell them to stop, they have to stop.
"If I've got young kids climbing on the wheel of the cart, I can't have these boys move an inch."
Krsna passes on his skills to other devotees but also local school children.
"We're training young people on some of the traditional skills," he said.
"We're teaching the younger generation how to handle the animals and how to work with them."