We Animals Founder Jo-Anne McArthur joined Woodstock Farm Sanctuary to document the experiences of animals at the New York State Fair, including its live birthing centre, where heavily pregnant dairy cows are induced into labour to give birth in front of spectators.
“Staff, volunteers, and farmers offer a wide range of reactions to people with big cameras. Media are generally in support of the Fair, but some years, there are dissenters, like me, intent on documenting a different point of view than the one presented by the Fair. “Don’t do anything bad with those photos”, a farmer nervously says after he’s picked up a newborn calf and carries her away from her mom to put her in the calf corral. Some farmers seem skeptical of my intentions, but they offer information in a friendly manner.
I don’t like doing surreptitious work, but I’ll be asked to leave or met with more hostility if my intentions – to show the Fair from an animal welfare perspective – are known. I’m not interested in being convinced about farming and about putting cows giving birth on display, as those reasons are the status quo, known and accepted. Few critical eyes are cast on what it might be like for the mothers to be induced to labour and kept in an enclosure surrounded by people, other labouring cows, movement, and noise.” — Jo-Anne McArthur
The New York State Fair is one of America’s largest agricultural fairs, drawing over one million visitors annually. It began as an agricultural fair in 1841 – the first of its kind – and now runs for 13 days at the end of summer.
Thousands of animals are brought to the event, including geese, chickens, hatching chicks, ducks, pheasants, pigs, sheep, goats, horses, rabbits, dairy cows and more, to be exhibited for days or used in competitions. Birds are kept in small, stacked cages in the poultry building, and many animals are available for sale. Animal-related events include horse shows, mounted games, a pig obstacle course, and many 4-H agricultural programs.
The dairy cow births are shown on large screens, and posted signage promotes dairy products. After birth, the newborn calf stays with their mother for up to 30 minutes before the pair is separated, and the newborn is taken to another part of the barn. The newborns are then weighed and dressed with a pink or blue bow, depending on their gender and put on display. The mother is then ushered into a stall and milked.
Photography & Videography: Jo-Anne McArthur
Narration: Anna Balser, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary
Film Editing: Molly Condit
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