Five Misconceptions About Milk and the Dairy Industry
The following article was written by Liam Cronin.
Misconceptions surrounding milk and the dairy industry are rampant. Following are the five most common ones.
Misconception: All cows in the dairy industry are born without horns.
Truth: Most cows in the dairy industry are born with the capacity to grow horns, but dairy farmers get rid of them through cruel dehorning practices.
Misconception: Cows need to be milked.
Truth: Cows are often genetically manipulated, artificially inseminated, and drugged in order to force them to produce about four and a half times as much milk as they naturally would to feed their calves.
Misconception: They don’t kill cows in the dairy industry.
Truth: Cows can live up to 25 years, but in the dairy industry cows are typically slaughtered for low-grade beef around their fifth birthday. Most male calves are slaughtered for veal, while most female calves are doomed to the same fate as their mothers.
Misconception: Cow’s milk is the only good source of calcium.
Truth: Collard greens, kale, tofu, broccoli, and beans are great calcium sources, and fortified drinks like soy milk and orange juice pack just as much as or more calcium than the average cup of cow’s milk, with none of the cruelty.
Misconception: Buying milk supports local farmers.
Truth: The vast majority of cow’s milk comes from giant factory farms, where milk, veal, and low-grade beef production come before animal welfare. Cows can develop painful conditions like mastitis (an infection of the udder) and overgrown hooves. As many as half of all cows used for milk become lame.
You can help end this suffering right now. Go vegan today, and kick dairy products to the curb.
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