Calves are separated from their mothers shortly after birth. If it is female, she can be kept to be a future dairy cow, but if it is male, he can have the following destinations: be sent soon for the production of “veal”, be raised for beef production or simply be discharged as its sale will not be profitable. The meat industry is also the destination for dairy cows that are less productive than younger cows, and this is a fast cycle. A cow could live up to 25 years or more, but here she is slaughtered between three and six years of age, after three to five lactations.

In addition to the exploitation until exhaustion of dairy cows and their inevitable destination in the meat industry, there are some methods that make industry even more cruel: animal branding, tail docking, castration and dehorning. Moreover, the intensity of milk production can cause health problems such as mastitis and lameness.

It is essential that our society becomes aware of this reality, to demand that the dairy industry commits itself and implements animal welfare practices to at least reduce the suffering of these animals.

Get to know the Animal Observatory, an initiative that encourages transparency in the food industry, bringing together the commitments that were made, as well as offering content to learn more about the production process of animal food products.