Well, I hope not. But a speaker at my Unitarian Universalist Fellowship last Sunday hinted at such so I chose to investigate.
Not Hard to Be Vegetarian for Me
It wasn’t hard for me to chose to be vegetarian, though I still prepare meat for my family. But I do enjoy cheese, cream in my coffee and an occasional ice cream. I may have to rethink that.
Milk May Not Be So Animal-Friendly
According to Great Britain’s The Independent, “There is a vicious cycle of cruelty hiding behind every pint of milk.” And organic or not, cows and their calves suffer to produce the milk. A cow typically lives to about 25 years of age, but dairy cows only last about five years. They are bred and bred again for calves to spur their milk production. And when they get too feeble to produce milk they go to the slaughterhouse.
But the Calves Are Taken Away
While the mothers would like to nurture their babies and have a natural long-term relationship, the calves are removed after one day. Male calves, according to both the Independent and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, are often chained in small environments where they are fed a milk-like product to make them into good veal. After suffering in these tiny chained spaces for a few weeks, they are butchered. Other males are moved into feedlots where they are fattened for the typical beef market. The females are kept to begin their mothers’ journey into continual milk production.
Organic or No?
I think certainly organic milk products are better because the animals are fed organic feed. But the way the industry works doesn’t change, according to PETA, the Independent and another group called One Green Planet. Cows are mechanically milked three times a day, and the stress on their udders and bodies is tremendous. I pay twice as much at the grocery store for organic milk because my daughter asks me to buy it. But I may steer her in another direction if I can.
But They Are Animals!
I’m reading a novel about pioneers in Wyoming, and one of the issues is the rough treatment of one of the farmers of his animals. His son, on the other hand, was gentle, and got better results. I know many think the animals are dumb and are just here to serve us. But I also would prefer to purchase products from a farmer who treated livestock humanely. Wouldn’t you?
Animal Feed Production
While this doesn’t just apply to dairy herds, the reality is that we have more land on the planet in production to feed farm animals than we do to feed people. If we converted all of that acreage to vegetable crops for humans, the world might be a lot healthier and less hungry.
Soy Products
If you think about it, you might enjoy soy products, almond milk and other vegetable and nut products as much as you do the dairy–at least after a while. It all takes getting used to. I love butter and cheese, for example, as well as cream in the morning coffee.
But Do I Like It at an Animal’s Expense?
Guess I will have to give all of this some more thought. How about you?