We believe that protecting cows is a prime component of protecting the earth. According to the ancient Vedic texts, the cow represents Mother Earth, thus when a cow or bull is mistreated Mother Earth withdraws her bounty. In ISKCON farms no cow, bull or calf is slaughtered. Together with violent-free milk production (ahimsa), they produce dung and urine which is valuable as fertilizer, for cleaning products and biogas fuel. At Villa Vrindavana, seven cows are sheltered in a barn (goshala), and during the day they graze in the meadows of the hills. They are taken care of with love.

Many wonder why the Vedic culture especially stress protection of the cow. The philosophical reason is simple: The cow is considered one of our mothers, as she gives us her milk and thus nutures our health and well being. Just as no civilized person would injure or kill their mother, the Vedas teach that to take milk from the cow and then kill her is the same as killing one’s mother. Similarly, the bull is considered like the father because the bull traditionally helps in the tilling of the fields, and thus is to be respected.