My Beef With the Dairy Industry
My Beef With the Dairy Industry
By: Megan
The dairy industry is one of the most funded industries in the United States. It is funded by both consumers and the government. Many Americans do not have a problem with the dairy industry, but I do.
To start, the dairy industry participates in a lot of actions that would be considered illegal if it were done to humans. Cows do not just produce milk, just like humans; they have to have a baby in order for this process to begin. Because the dairy industry is heavily demanded, dairy farmers cannot just wait for cows to get pregnant, so they artificially inseminate them. The farmers collect a bull’s semen and inject it into the cow's cervix. This procedure is also done in humans except for a doctor to perform it, they need consent from the parties involved. Last time I checked, animals cannot give consent and it would be considered rape if done to a human.
After the cow is pregnant for 9 months, they will give birth to their calves. The calf cannot stay with its mother because they would drink OUR milk, so the calf has to be taken away. A couple of different things could happen to this calf. If it is a girl, it will be bottle fed and become a dairy cow when it gets old enough or if it is a male it will become a veal calf or be automatically slaughtered because it has no purpose in the dairy industry. The cows and calves will cry and scream because they have already developed a bond and the cows will even try to run after the calf that is being taken away.
The cows are plugged up to a machine that will take their milk every day, sometimes even four to five times a day. They are injected with hormones, so that they produce a lot more milk than biologically intended. After a year, they are impregnated yet again and the process starts over again. This happens for about five or six years and then the cow will get worn out, meaning they are no longer able to be in the industry. The cow is then sent to the slaughterhouse and packed up to be cheap ground beef. It is also important to note that a cows lifespan is 20+ years, and a very small percentage of cows actually reach that age.
One argument many people have is if we didn't eat cows or use them for their milk, then there would be a population issue because there are so many of them. Originally there were not a lot of cows. Once upon a time, humans were greedy and decided to bred cows at a rapid rate. This caused overpopulation; it has nothing to do with the cows repopulating whatsoever.
Another argument is that the products would go to waste if they were not being purchased. Which is true to a degree, however, if they were not being taken from the animal there would not be any waste. Also, companies rely on consumers in order to keep running. If we do not buy the product, they look to see what we are buying instead and oftentimes switch industries because they want to be where the money is. Therefore, we have a say in this. We are given a choice every time we go to the store and we vote on what we support with our money. It really is that simple.
Nowadays, I often hear “I could never give up cheese or milk.” First, I chuckle because I used to say the same thing. Then I respond with “do you know why you think you cannot give it up; you're addicted to it.” All dairy products have a protein called casein. When consumed, the brain triggers the opioid receptors that make you feel good. These are the same receptors that are triggered when you consume alcohol or use drugs. The biological purpose of this is it makes the calf keep coming back for more milk, so they can grow. However, it makes humans addicted and coming back for more which is unhealthy, and keeps the milk industry in business.
Some people like to argue that we just need to drink “ethical” milk. I do not see how cows milk will ever be ethical because of the actions needed for the milk to be bottled up and sold. At some point, people will need to align their actions and morals.
To conclude, the only thing we can do is stop buying dairy products. I know it is hard, but it is 100% worth it.
To start, the dairy industry participates in a lot of actions that would be considered illegal if it were done to humans. Cows do not just produce milk, just like humans; they have to have a baby in order for this process to begin. Because the dairy industry is heavily demanded, dairy farmers cannot just wait for cows to get pregnant, so they artificially inseminate them. The farmers collect a bull’s semen and inject it into the cow's cervix. This procedure is also done in humans except for a doctor to perform it, they need consent from the parties involved. Last time I checked, animals cannot give consent and it would be considered rape if done to a human.
After the cow is pregnant for 9 months, they will give birth to their calves. The calf cannot stay with its mother because they would drink OUR milk, so the calf has to be taken away. A couple of different things could happen to this calf. If it is a girl, it will be bottle fed and become a dairy cow when it gets old enough or if it is a male it will become a veal calf or be automatically slaughtered because it has no purpose in the dairy industry. The cows and calves will cry and scream because they have already developed a bond and the cows will even try to run after the calf that is being taken away.
The cows are plugged up to a machine that will take their milk every day, sometimes even four to five times a day. They are injected with hormones, so that they produce a lot more milk than biologically intended. After a year, they are impregnated yet again and the process starts over again. This happens for about five or six years and then the cow will get worn out, meaning they are no longer able to be in the industry. The cow is then sent to the slaughterhouse and packed up to be cheap ground beef. It is also important to note that a cows lifespan is 20+ years, and a very small percentage of cows actually reach that age.
One argument many people have is if we didn't eat cows or use them for their milk, then there would be a population issue because there are so many of them. Originally there were not a lot of cows. Once upon a time, humans were greedy and decided to bred cows at a rapid rate. This caused overpopulation; it has nothing to do with the cows repopulating whatsoever.
Another argument is that the products would go to waste if they were not being purchased. Which is true to a degree, however, if they were not being taken from the animal there would not be any waste. Also, companies rely on consumers in order to keep running. If we do not buy the product, they look to see what we are buying instead and oftentimes switch industries because they want to be where the money is. Therefore, we have a say in this. We are given a choice every time we go to the store and we vote on what we support with our money. It really is that simple.
Nowadays, I often hear “I could never give up cheese or milk.” First, I chuckle because I used to say the same thing. Then I respond with “do you know why you think you cannot give it up; you're addicted to it.” All dairy products have a protein called casein. When consumed, the brain triggers the opioid receptors that make you feel good. These are the same receptors that are triggered when you consume alcohol or use drugs. The biological purpose of this is it makes the calf keep coming back for more milk, so they can grow. However, it makes humans addicted and coming back for more which is unhealthy, and keeps the milk industry in business.
Some people like to argue that we just need to drink “ethical” milk. I do not see how cows milk will ever be ethical because of the actions needed for the milk to be bottled up and sold. At some point, people will need to align their actions and morals.
To conclude, the only thing we can do is stop buying dairy products. I know it is hard, but it is 100% worth it.
Resources Talked About in This Post You Should Totally Check Out
https://animalclock.org/#section-numbers
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