The New Mexico Livestock Board has launched an investigation into a southern New Mexico dairy after an activist secretly recorded workers abusing cows.
The video shows workers at Winchester Dairy near Dexter whipping cows with chains and wire cables, kicking and punching the animals, and shocking them with electric prods.
Board officials are interviewing the activist with the group Mercy for Animals and tracking down the workers identified in the video. They say the dairy is cooperating with investigators.
The dairy said in a statement that animal care and well-being are central to its operation. As a result, the dairy fired all employees and referred the abusive workers to law enforcement for further review following its own internal investigation.
The dairy also halted milking operations and moved thousands of cows to other dairies.
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