Organic dairy
Even if you’re not vegetarian or don’t usually worry about buying organic products, Horizon Organic Dairy is worth checking out. Their milk is about twice as much as non-organic, store brand milk, but consider this:
- Organic milk actually stays good considerably longer than non-organic milk. I buy a half-gallon and use it mainly just for cereal in the morning, and it hasn’t gone bad on me yet. I used to buy a quarter-gallon of store brand milk for cereal and it would often go bad before I even could finish it.
- Horizon’s cows are not mistreated. This doesn’t just matter from an animal-rights POV, but from a health standpoint as well. Overworked cows that are cramped in little areas and given BGH to increase their milk production end up excreting pus and blood from lesions in their udders. To be used for Horizon milk, the cows are allowed to roam and exercise and only give milk on their natural cycle. They’re even given massages!
- It’s been shown that organic farming is better for the environment, so Horizon farms are all certified organic (without pesticides for three years or more), meaning the cows don’t ingest any unnatural chemcials.
Food for thought the next time you’re picking out milk at the supermarket.
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No, not all male calves go to the veal industry, and not all veal calves are shut up in tiny crates. I have been on dairy farms, worked on dairy farms and even owned dairy cattle for my entire life and have never been on a farm where male calves are sold for veal. A number of dairies do support the veal industry, but not all of them. Also, I have a co-worker whose husband sells calves for veal. These calves are raised by their mothers on green pastures and have plenty of room to roam.
To answer the question of whether cows are always kept pregnant, yes, cows are expected to have calves every year, as do most other animals in nature. Many farms have bulls with their cows that do what cows and bulls do naturally, and the cow has a calf every year.
Does the dairy industry “steal” milk from the calves? All calves are fed some sort of milk until their digestive systems are developed– just like a baby on breast milk or formula. Many farms do feed their calves milk from their mothers, they just do it in a clean and controlled enviroment so they can assure that the calves are getting the nutrients that they need. (And yes, I have seen some calves who are being raised by their mothers sicken because a) their mother doesn’t take care of them, b) their mother doesn’t produce enough milk to feed the calf or c) because their mother is sick and has “bad” milk) By hand-raising calves, we can make sure they are on a well-balanced diet and that they thrive.
If you don’t believe me, actually visit a dairy farm and see where your food is coming from. Don’t listen to some stranger on the internet. (Including me… really…go see for yourself!!)