EXPOSED: Babies Bludgeoned and Mothers Shot Repeatedly for Australian Dairy
In the dairy industry, giving birth is not a happy occasion for mother cows, whose babies are cruelly torn away from them and often violently killed.
Video footage from PETA Asia’s investigation of a dairy farm in New South Wales between July and November 2016 exposes severe abuse and neglect, and a complaint was promptly filed as a result.
One cow, Tammy, cried out in pain and distress as workers used a huge mechanical calf puller to pry her baby violently from her womb. She was helpless to escape this assault. Her calf died during birth, and Tammy died several days later, having been denied veterinary care.
Other calves who survived birth but were deemed unprofitable were bludgeoned to death with hammers. Some who were sick or lame were left to languish for days without veterinary treatment. Mother cows were also killed in cruel ways when their milk production waned, including being shot in the head multiple times with a captive-bolt gun.
Are You Buying Dairy ‘Products’ From Farms Like This?
During the investigation, the farm shown in the exposé supplied Norco, Australia’s oldest and second-largest dairy cooperative, whose products are sold in supermarkets such as Coles, Woolworths, and ALDI, sometimes as store-brand milk and ice cream. Assorted Norco products are also sold in China, Japan, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
When you buy dairy “products”, there’s usually no easy way to know which farm they’re from – but you’ll always be supporting suffering. As the harrowing video footage shows, every carton of milk, slice of cheese, and scoop of ice cream means terrible suffering for cows.
What You Can Do
Investigation after investigation has shown that cruelty is the dairy industry’s main ingredient. There’s simply no humane way to obtain milk intended for calves. Help stop this suffering by taking our 30-day vegan pledge and trying some of the many varieties of delicious dairy-free milk, cheese, yoghurt, ice cream, and other products that are readily available in stores across Australia.
The next time you’re shopping for food, please think about these cows and remember their suffering. You can help spare them and other animals such abuse by ordering PETA’s free vegan starter kit and choosing cruelty-free meals.
