Victory: Cows Spared From Hell on Earth

© iStockPhoto.com / hannerjo

PETA and other animal rights groups are celebrating after learning that Velmur Ltd have abandoned their proposal to build a huge dairy factory farm in Lincolnshire. The development would have sentenced 2,896 cows to lives of misery and suffering.

We owe a big “thank you” to the PETA activists who fought against the proposal by attending local meetings, spreading awareness and updating PETA with developments. This is another example of the success that can be achieved through the efforts of committed activists.

Cows on dairy farms are forced to produce unnaturally high yields of milk; many ultimately die of exhaustion. Despite their natural life expectancy of 21 years or more, a quarter of dairy cows never see their third year, whilst most others are killed at 4 to 7 years old and are often pregnant when they die. Cows are repeatedly impregnated only to have their calves torn away after a mere day or two. Female calves spend their first few weeks isolated in tiny stalls, and at 15 months old they begin the same hellish existence as their mothers. Male calves are either shot at birth or sold to the veal industry.

Cows naturally produce milk only to feed their calves, but the constant high consumer demand for milk means they are forced to massively overproduce. This can cause painful mastitis (an udder infection) and lameness from carrying their immensely swollen and heavy udders.

Drinking milk is completely unnatural. Humans are the only species that continues to drink it past infancy – and from another species! Milk has been linked to cancer, juvenile-onset diabetes and many other diseases, and it contains large amounts of fat and cholesterol – and often traces of blood and pus from the infected teats.

Although Velmur Ltd’s withdrawal of their proposal can be seen as a victory, they may seek to build similar developments elsewhere. Lincolnshire residents are awaiting Nocton Dairies’ next step; their application for an 8,100-cow dairy unit was withdrawn earlier this year after facing similar pressure.

The best way you can help end the suffering of cows is to go vegan and ditch the dairy from your diet. These days, affordable and delicious vegan alternatives to just about all your favourite treats are widely available – from milk to ice cream and cream cheese. Why not request a copy of our free vegetarian/vegan starter kit to find out more.