I don’t remember when I learned that VEAL means baby cow, but I know it was a long time ago, and once I realized this, I never chose anything with veal in it because I was so horrified. Baby cow? That sounded horrendous and I did not want to be a part of that. Amazingly, and regrettably, I didn’t connect the dots with all of the other foods I was consuming.Thankfully I’m a lot more educated now and understand the cruelty inherent to animal agriculture and I don’t support any of it, choosing to live a vegan lifestyle.
The Heartbreaking Reality:
Male baby cows, or calves as the industry calls them, are what you are eating when you consume veal. They are taken from their Mothers soon after birth and shipped to veal farms where they spend their short lives in small huts separated from other cows. They never know their Mother’s love, never drink her milk, never socialize with other cows, and usually aren’t even allowed to ever be free.
The Facts:
Veal exists because of the dairy industry. Female cows must be made pregnant and give birth in order to produce milk but farmers can’t control whether or not they have a female calf or male calf.
Female cows follow in the footsteps of their Moms.
Males are considered useless and many are killed soon after birth– usually shot in the head.
For those not killed, they are sent to veal farms where they will be chained inside a small hut that will become their home for about 16-22 weeks.
To keep their flesh supple, they are not allowed much movement, nor are they allowed to drink their Mother’s milk, Instead, they are fed artificial milk laced with antibiotics, chemicals and other hormones.
There are several categories of veal. Rose veal calves are killed around 6 months. Bob veal calves are newborn calves, usually just 3 weeks old or 150 pounds. About 19% of veal produced is Bob veal. There’s a category called Slink veal which is illegal in the United States and Canada but is given a pass in other countries– Slink veal calves are taken from their slaughtered Mothers. Talk about gruesome!
Know why veal meat is white? It’s not naturally that way. It’s white because these baby cows are denied an essential nutrient–iron. This is purposeful, done so that the meat will be more visually appealing.
When the male calves are just weeks old, they will be transported to a slaughterhouse. 40-45 calves will be packed inside trucks and transported, sometimes up to 1500 miles. They will be given no food, water, or medical care inside the trucks. On hot days, they suffer from heat stroke and exhaustion. On cold winter days, they have little protection from the elements and some don’t make it alive to their destination. No matter how you look at it, it’s a torturous journey that will ultimately end in their gruesome death.
Before becoming vegan I was unaware that cows have best friends, that they form close bonds that last for their lifetime, that they run and play, and get the “zoomies,” just like my pet dog. When Moms are separated from their calves, both cry out in anguish, often for hours or days. Imagine being a newborn calf, wondering what is happening to you, not having your Mom nearby for comfort or to nourish you with her milk.
It’s not too late to get out of the cycle of death. The foundation of a civilized society is reflected in how they treat animals. Do you want to be part of this cruelty?
Take Action! What YOU Can Do:
- Stop buying into the propaganda! Stop consuming milk and other dairy products. Have the courage to align your values with your actions, instead of supporting this cruelty. Go vegan.
- How to go vegan
- Replacing eggs in recipes
- Watch Cowspiracy.
- Watch Earthlings
- Watch Dominion
- Farm to Fridge
- Good For Us: Eating Veg
- Share what you’ve learned with everyone you know! Change happens one person at a time and every single person can make a difference.
Resources:
Life of a Cow from Dairy-Truth.com
The Real Life of a Dairy Cow from FarmSantuary.org
The Life of a Diary Cow: A Mother’s Worst Nightmare from KinderWorld.org
The Reality Behind Organic Dairy Farms from KinderWorld.org
Calf Slaughter: The Killing of Baby Cows from KinderWorld.org
Baby Cows, the Shocking Reality from KinderWorld.org
Every Argument Against Veganism
The Dark Side of Dairy: The Disturbing Truth About Your Beloved Milk and Cheese from CrueltyFarm.org
The Devastating Consequences of Animal Agriculture on Earth