Dairy Industry Practices: Removing Calves from Mothers
Dairy farming is an industry that is deeply rooted in many people's diets. From milk to cheese to ice cream, dairy products have become a staple in many parts of the world. However, behind the taste of dairy products lies a darker reality that cannot be ignored. The ethical concerns surrounding dairy farming are numerous, but perhaps none is more significant than the reproductive manipulation of dairy cows, which inevitably leads to forced separation of mothers and their babies.
Meet Star and Freeda, two cows born on a small dairy farm in Vermont. They were chained to a wall, only a foot away from their mother, who was also chained. The cows were unable to touch her, feel her love, or drink her milk, which was meant for them. They were rescued on July 4th, 2019, and given medical care before being taken to an animal sanctuary to live a new life.
When the people at Uplands PEAK Sanctuary met the baby sisters, they saw shooting stars in the sky, so they named one Star and the other Freeda, for freedom. Star was only two weeks old and still wobbly when she was rescued. She is a Jersey breed, while Freeda is a Lineback/Ayrshire cross. Freeda was a bit older than Star and took on the big sister role by showing Star how to be courageous. Despite their young age, these two had already gone through one of the most distressing aspects of dairy farming – the separation from their mother.
Freeda and Star, two inseparable sisters, now live at PEAK sanctuary, where they're surrounded by other rescued cows and animals, and can live freely, fulfilling their natural social needs.
On a dairy farm, calves are taken away from their mothers almost immediately. This separation can be traumatic for both the mother and the calf. The calf is deprived of the warmth and comfort of their mother's presence, and the mother is deprived of the opportunity to bond with her baby.
One of the things you’ll often hear dairy farmers say to justify the practice of taking newborn calves away from their mothers within 24 hours, is that cows make terrible mothers! You needn’t look far to recognize this is not true whether you consider the many sanctuaries that have rescued dairy cows and their calves and can testify to the opposite being true, or whether you listen to the many sorrowful accounts of former dairy farmers who speak out against the cruelty of this industry.
Furthermore, why would nature design cows to be bad mothers? What would be the evolutionary purpose of not being able to successfully raise their young? It would be counterproductive to perpetuating the species – evolution’s principal aim. That said, modern commercial breeds of dairy cows cannot be considered a naturally occurring species. If it is true that dairy cows are “bad mothers”, it is only through generations of stealing their babies at birth has the industry damaged the maternal instinct of cows.
The dairy industry is an insidious and systematic display of reproductive domination falsely rationalized through what is called the “3N’s of justification” – that it is normal, necessary, and natural. It is none of these things! Infuriatingly, the dairy industry promotes itself as an example of having ‘deep respect’ for animals. In reality, it is a fundamental lack of respect for animals through a process that does not allow a natural relationship between a mother and baby to occur.
Star and Freeda’s story is a classic example. Shortly after birth, these two helpless siblings suffered from anemia and weakened immune systems due to being separated from their mother, and not receiving the colostrum they so desperately needed. Colostrum, the milk a mother cow produces within the first couple of weeks after giving birth, is essential for the calf. It contains the antibodies and the proportions necessary for the calf to build a strong immune system and protect them from potential infections. Not having access to their mother prevented them from receiving the colostrum they required, nor did the farmer provide them with proper, supplemental feeding for reasons unknown. It took a plasma transfusion to save their lives, along with the ongoing compassion and devotion from the good folks at Uplands PEAK Sanctuary.
The broader issue here is one of exploitation of animals purely for human utility and benefit. Consider that many species consume the breast milk of their mothers when born, including humans. As we grow, we transition to solid food. Humans, in particular, produce an enzyme for the first couple of years of life to allow us to metabolize the sugar in our mother’s breast milk. We stop producing this enzyme as we grow – this is nature anticipating that transition. We are the only species who continue to consume milk throughout adult life AND consume the milk from another species.
Let’s be clear – the dairy industry purposely manipulates the reproductive systems of unique individuals through artificial insemination, forced pregnancy, gestation, birth, lactation, and separation…over and over and over again! The maternal bond is a universal experience that transcends all species. It is a fundamental aspect of life that connects mothers across the animal kingdom. The love, strength, and resilience that mothers exhibit in nurturing their offspring is a testament to the profound importance of the maternal role. Whether we are mothers or not, we can all recognize the emotional intensity of this bond and the inherent value of the mother-child relationship.
Only when we acknowledge the critical nature of this relationship can we understand the ethical failings of dairy farming. We see that exploiting animals not only comes at a cost to the animals, but to our core values as a society. By honouring the profound entanglement between all living beings and adopting a vegan lifestyle, we can truly work towards a more compassionate and sustainable future for all.
Star and Freeda are more fortunate than nearly all cows born into animal agriculture because they found their way to an animal sancutary. At PEAK, these siblings are promised safety, care, respect, and the opportunity to live their lives out with dignity.
Learn more about Star, Freeda, and the other animals who call PEAK home and how you can sponsor Star or Freeda or donate to their care.