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The dairy industry suffers from many of the
same humane concerns as the beef industry:
surgical procedures like castration and dehorning without anesthesia
and pain medication, stressful transportation and inhumane slaughter.
Yet, this industry possesses many unique humane
concerns. Many dairy cattle are confined to tie- Mastitis, infection of the udders, is thought to affect almost half of the dairy cows in the US. This is directly related to increase in production of milk by the modern dairy cow due to selective breeding and hormones like Bovine Growth Hormone (BGH). It is common for modern dairy cows to produce 100 pounds of milk a day -- ten times more than they would produce in nature. The
most horrendous aspect of the dairy industry is its spinoff, the
veal industry. This industry arouse due to the male calves inability
to produce milk and their uselessness to the dairy industry. Day
old calves are taken from their mother and sold into the veal industry.
They are chained in small crates and deprived of the most basic
social |
stalls,
which are highly restrictive housing systems that keep the cow tied
to one place for a long period of time. These stalls are commonly
covered in the cow’s excrement and minimize the cow’s
normal social behavior.
behavior
for approximately sixteen weeks before they are slaughtered. They
experience chronic stress, abnormal coping behavior and stereotypical
behavior. Veal calves are also fed an all liquid milk-substitute,
which is purposely deficient in iron and fiber that can produce
anemia. This strict confinement and deficient diet makes veal tender
and pale in appearance. Some veal calves are slaughtered at just
a few hours or days old.