[imardmd1]

What are welfare recipients doing with horses and cows?

My guess is that the terms of government support of Reservation clients is quite different under Indian Affairs administration than for a typical welfare client. Even then, the income of someone raising a few beef or cows for meat and milk might not be above poverty level. The profit margin for farm operation these days may be razor thin, or even negative, even counting raising your own food. These horses and cows are not merely pastimes, they may be for basic subsistence farming.

[vetvetdoug]

As a veterinarian I have discussions with colleagues that practice near Reservations or spend a few weeks there doing work for free and the majority of the reservation inhabitants are so lazy they don't possess livestock and if they do, rarely do anything for the animal's benefit and health. Very few Native Americans on reservations have livestock and the food is provided by food stamps. The ignorance of animal husbandry in these areas is appalling. Cows for milk are too labour intensive and there is nowhere for the slaughter of beef effectively. If the Native Americans were held to the same standards of animal care as are the rest of us, they'd be arrested for animal cruelty.

[dennisw]

Just saying but for every Federal welfare program there is an exact same program for Indians on Indian reservations. It will have a different name and will be administered (IIRC) by the BIA (Bureau of Indian affairs) Besides this these sovereign nations (when it suits them) have other BIA welfare programs the Feds don’t have