Cruelty is an inherent and inbuilt part of the dairy industry, most notably because it involves the repeated impregnation of cows and the removal (and disposal) of the babies born as a result. Like all mammals (humans included) cows produce milk because they've just given birth. As we want the milk instead though, the calves are removed and, if male, are briefly confined and fed a nutrient-defecient diet before being killed for veal.
Female calves are raised to suffer the same fate as their mothers, and after just a handful of nine month pregnancy cycles, their bodies begin struggling to maintain such high output and they too are sent to slaughter.
You can find out more about the dairy industry by checking my response to the claims that taking milk from cows isn't cruel and that cows need to be milked.
- Images that inspired this cartoon -
This cartoon was inspired primarily by the work of photographer and activist Jo-Anne McArthur. You can view a collection of her images here, as well as in the excellent book We Animals. Jo-Anne writes here about her day photographing the dairy farm, and you'll find more of her thought-provoking images on the topic here.
Female calves are raised to suffer the same fate as their mothers, and after just a handful of nine month pregnancy cycles, their bodies begin struggling to maintain such high output and they too are sent to slaughter.
You can find out more about the dairy industry by checking my response to the claims that taking milk from cows isn't cruel and that cows need to be milked.
- Images that inspired this cartoon -
This cartoon was inspired primarily by the work of photographer and activist Jo-Anne McArthur. You can view a collection of her images here, as well as in the excellent book We Animals. Jo-Anne writes here about her day photographing the dairy farm, and you'll find more of her thought-provoking images on the topic here.