Koertge criticizes the idea of the social construction of dairy cows that claims that "certain breeds have undergone such an intense process of artificial selection, guided by the financial interests of dairy farmers, that they can now hardly survive without being hooked up to milking machines." In contrast, Koertge argues that in this case what social construction designates is really a ...

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Koertge argues that the social construction of dairy cows refers to a process of genetic construction designed to serve social purposes, specifically the financial interests of dairy farmers. This is different from the idea that the cows are unable to survive without milking machines due to a lack of natural selection. Instead, their genetic traits have been selectively bred for generations to maximize milk production, which is a social purpose.

Koertge Criticizes the Idea of the Social Construction of Dairy