A report on the UK Dairy
Industry
 Executive Summary
The farming of animals for meat has received much public attention and scrutiny
over the past few decades, prompting calls for tighter animal welfare regulations
and moving millions of people to adopt a vegetarian diet. Meanwhile, the
farming of cows for dairy products, which has become increasingly intensive
in recent years, has been largely ignored.
This report lifts the lid on modern dairy farming, shattering its benign
image and exposing the immeasurable mental and physical suffering inflicted
on millions of cows and their calves every year. It serves as a wake-up call
for everyone who is opposed to animal cruelty yet continues to buy and consume
dairy products.
While many of the welfare problems raised in this report, such as lameness,
hunger, mastitis and invasive embryo technologies, are a result of the continued
drive to increase the cows’ milk yield, the emotional trauma caused
by removing a newborn calf from its mother is inherent in dairy production.
The enormous physical demand placed on the cow by the dual load of pregnancy
and lactation is also an intrinsic part of dairy farming.
For anyone reading this report, the conclusion that dairy farming inflicts
unacceptable and unavoidable pain and suffering on cows and their calves
is inevitable.
Please note: the health aspects of consuming cow’s milk are not covered
here. For a fully referenced report on the serious health issues associated
with dairy consumption, please see White Lies by the Vegetarian and Vegan
Foundation (www.vegetarian.org.uk;
tel 0117 970 5190).
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