As kids, many of us are told that milk comes from cows and that farmers are doing them a kindness by relieving them of it. But what we're taught about the dairy industry is a lie. Cows, like humans and other mammals, only produce milk when they have had a baby. Dairy cows are artificially inseminated and forced to give birth every year to ensure they are continually producing milk. Also like humans, cows form powerful bonds with their babies. But how can the mother cow nurse and take cow of her baby when humans are drinking their milk. In order for farmers to take their milk, calves are snatched away from their mothers, usually within hours of being born. Mother cows will often cry out for their young for days after they're gone. The calves are put into solitary confinement and fed with milk replacers. The females will often suffer the same fate as their mothers, eventually replacing them in the milking herd. The males will either be killed, raised for low-grade beef or sold to the veal industry. Dairy cows endure a life of perpetual suffering and misery. Due to selective breeding, the amount of milk a dairy cow is forced to produce has more than doubled over the past four decades. This, along with multiple births takes a huge toll on their bodies. Painful udder inflammations are common and many cows will suffer from permanent nerve damage due to difficult births. This affects their ability to use their hind legs. It's not uncommon to see their legs shackled in order to stop them from doing the splits, and get them to the milking parlour. We tend to associate dairy farming with cows grazing in luscious green fields. But the truth is that all cows are indoors for at least six months a year and a growing number are zero grazed. US style mega farms are on the rise in the UK. Cows are being confined inside industrial sheds for their whole lives. Once their bodies are worn out, dairy cows are sent to slaughter at just a fraction of their natural lifespans. They end up being turned into cheap meat. It is wrong to believe that dairy cows don't suffer the same fate as beef cows. The only way to help end this is to stop consuming dairy products and go vegan. Find out more about dairy cows: https://viva.org.uk/animals/cows/dairy-cows/ How to go vegan: https://viva.org.uk/lifestyle/going-vegan/ Dairy alternatives: https://viva.org.uk/lifestyle/going-vegan/a-vegan-guide/#dairy ---------- Viva! is the UK’s leading vegan campaigning charity, specialising in undercover investigations and animal, health, environmental and lifestyle campaigns. Founded in 1994 by Juliet Gellatley, we have spent almost 30 years creating a kinder, more sustainable world for humans and animals alike. Visit: https://viva.org.uk/ Support: https://viva.org.uk/join/ Follow us on socials: ▶ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vivavegancharity/ ▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vivacharity/ ▶ Twitter: https://twitter.com/vivacampaigns ▶ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vivacharity

• published: 21 Feb 2023
• views: 2431