Food Industry and Animal Cruelty

The Impact of the Dairy Industry on Animals 

By Michelle Lai ('24)

Operations of Dairy Industries

Milk and meat are indispensable parts of most of our diet. Cereal, brownies, or a good old Oreo cookie all make us think of milk. However, the reality is that those scoops of ice cream all came from living animals that are extremely susceptible to abuse and exploitation. One of the most common facts we learn in middle school biology class is that dairy and meat farms produce lots of greenhouse gases, specifically methane. Large-scale farms with a high amount of cows produce methane equivalent to driving a car for 899 miles. Some dairy farms are also very likely to pollute water sources through improper disposal of waste and excrement. Lake Michigan is a current example of this, killing the organisms within these water sources and limiting our resources. Aside from water pollution, deforestation is another common event that gets mentioned when we discuss environmental impacts. However, did you know that your scoops of ice cream come from the cost of thousands of trees? Deforestation is closer than we think, and large-scale dairy farms are typically created by destroying acres of woodlands in order to clear space for their animals. 

Animal abuse is, unfortunately, another common sight within the dairy and meat industries. Animals are typically kept in unsanitary conditions, leading to lots of diseases that could fester. Despite governmental attempts at medical regulations for the animals, many instances of neglect or abuse continue to go on. Animals are unlikely to be kept with proper treatments, and they are typically stripped of diets that are nutritious and adequate exercises. Corporate farms are also known to keep their animals in pens that allow no more than some wiggle room, completely stuffing their cattle, pigs, lambs, and many other animals in tiny living spaces for most of the animals’ life.

One of the most unknown facts about unethical and, oftentimes, corporate farms is that milk comes from forcefully impregnating cows over and over, producing more and more calves and thus more milk. The constant state of impregnation causes lots of strain and damage to the cow’s body, and it also eventually depletes the cow of her body’s strength, especially without proper attention from veterinarians. Each birth increases the chances of infections, especially in unsanitary conditions as well as death or casualties from blood loss or improper birth. The female cows would eventually be unable to conceive again, leading them to be killed in order to make space for fertile cows. Because the mother’s milk is used for human consumption, the calf is kept away from the mother and natural milk source, traumatizing the calf and removing natural nutrients from the calf’s diet. Calves that are not female or fertile would then be sold as veal. 

Like all industries, there are ethically operated farms and unethical ones. While all of them should be under heavy governmental regulation for animal welfare and pollution control, the reality is that many exploitations go under the radar. Milk and meat are aspects of our diet, and the purpose is not to guilt anyone into leaving out aspects of their diet that bring them joy or energy. However, given the option, we should be aware and conscientious about the choices that we make and how they can impact those who cannot speak up for themselves. So what can you do? Obviously, not everyone wants to or has the privilege to find dairy alternatives. However, doing research into the sources where your dairy comes from, supporting small farms that treat their animals humanely when you can, and advocating for stricter regulations and employment of veterinarians for dairy farms are all excellent ways to make your contributions. 

Citations: 

Mandel, R., Bracke, M. B. M., Nicol, C. J., Webster, J. A., & Gygax, L. (2022). Dairy vs beef production - expert views on welfare of cattle in common food production systems. Animal : an international journal of animal bioscience, 16(9), 100622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.animal.2022.100622

https://yourstory.com/2017/03/dairy-industry

https://www.greenpeace.org/international/story/60051/you-need-meat-and-dairy-says-the-meat-and-dairy-industry/

https://thesavemovement.org/5-ways-dairy-hurts-animals-and-the-planet/#:~:text=The%20dairy%20and%20veal%20industries,can%20no%20longer%20do%20it.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/farming-natural-resources-and-industry/agriculture-and-seafood/agricultural-land-and-environment/strengthening-farming/farm-practices/870218-7_dairy.pdf