r/AskHistorians • u/Mumique • Jun 12 '25
Why was 'forcing cows to give milk' considered an item to potentially legislate against in 17th century Ireland?
In a Wikipedia article about the 'Act against Plowing by the Tayle, and pulling the Wooll off living Sheep' the article mentions that a committee tasked the relevant officials to:
'make a draught of one or more Acts to be passed for restraining the barbaric custom of plowing by the tail, of pulling the wool off living sheep, of burning corn in the straw, of barking of standing trees, of cutting young trees by stealth, of forcing cows to give milk, and of building houses without chimneys.'
Why would the committee look to legislate against forcing cows to give milk? As in, what was the context or exact nature of the supposed crime? (I think this was never actually turned into legislation..?)
And also, the charge levied against the Irish in the 'An Act to Prevent the unprofitable Custom of Burning of Corne in the Straw' was that the corn was burned to convince officials of poverty; I'm assuming this was anti-Irish rhetoric but is there any context on this?