Oh and for your neighbours goat : ask him how long they live, how they are put down, what happens to their children and how often they are inseminated and forced to give birth. Just a few things to keep in mind when compared to the life of that same goat in a sanctuary or in nature, when thinking of all the "suffering" you're preventing by exploiting them.
> I'd love to see a paper on the sponge with hormones, I've never heard of that. Please send me any link to this claim.
You can find many experiments regarding fertility using sponges. Regarding the milk production, sorry I don't know the precise english verbiage. Here is a paper in French regarding the “extended lactation” practice. It's from a professional body, with real-life testimonies:
https://vienne.chambre-agriculture.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/...
> Keep in mind the other questions as well, if you please. How long do they live, compared to a life in nature? Don't guess, actually ask him.
Probably much longer, given that they don't have to face predators, and the humans provide food in winter and medications for them.
> Giving birth is indeed a part of life, but forcible insemination is not. Do you think most milk doesn't come from forcible inseminations?
It does come from insemination – extended lactation allows you to reduce insemination. However, goat milk is not an invention of the modern time – you can also let males do their thing with the goats.
> I doubt you've spent much time on real farms, instead of hobby farms.
Thanks to a long experience in cheese making, which sells at a premium, the French can make a living out of small herds. I grew up chasing the semi-wild Charolais beef living the best of their lives in the Morvan's pastures. I happen to have a few friends who make a living out of cattle farming, so it's definitely not a "hobby" for them. Sorry if it's not the case for you, maybe it's a time to rethink your business model?
And feom working in farms : most of the issues and suffering are kept behind doors and are simply not seen. There are many steps and practices done to animals to exploit them, they don't just magically make what you need.
