Bobby Calves
Calves are the victims of one of the most cruel, abusive and unnatural productions. Cows will only lactate after giving birth. Calves compete with the dairy industry for cow’s milk and are removed from their mothers as quickly as possible, within 12 to 24 hours of being born. In a natural environment female calves suckle for around 9 months and stay with their mothers for the rest of their lives. Males suckle until they are a year old and then leave the female herd.
Male calves are deemed the dairy industry’s “waste” and are killed soon after birth, at a few days old or, if reared for veal, they are killed at 3 months. Female calves are retained to continue the dairy industry’s cycle of misery. Mothers bellow their grief at the loss of babies, sometimes for days and weeks. For calves it is traumatic and frightening.
Bobby calves are worth very little financially. Bobby calf by-products are more lucrative than their meat which is exported to the USA and often used for human baby food. Their fourth stomach is dried and used for parmesan cheese and rennet for other cheeses. Other parts of their bodies are used for pharmaceutical products.
Male calves are deemed the dairy industry’s “waste” and are killed soon after birth, at a few days old or, if reared for veal, they are killed at 3 months. Female calves are retained to continue the dairy industry’s cycle of misery. Mothers bellow their grief at the loss of babies, sometimes for days and weeks. For calves it is traumatic and frightening.
Bobby calves are worth very little financially. Bobby calf by-products are more lucrative than their meat which is exported to the USA and often used for human baby food. Their fourth stomach is dried and used for parmesan cheese and rennet for other cheeses. Other parts of their bodies are used for pharmaceutical products.
Photo by Bear Witness Australia