I knew from a young age that cows needed to be impregnated to make milk. I witnessed an insemination firsthand at the young age of 11, as part of a school project. I also watched the birth of that calf and saw her sent away to slaughter and served up for lunch to our class one year later. I'm completely serious. They fed us her flesh! I ate a bite!
I spent my entire adolescence on two different small dairy farms, working with the cows and calves, noticing them often disappear without a word. I learned how to milk them manually and with machines. I spent a day with a friend at a 400 cow farm where she was working some 4H-style program and saw with my own eyes several of the things you mention here: cows wallowing knee deep in their own waste, sick newborn calves languishing and being left to die, tiny babies in tiny hutches, a recordbook in the office of each cow and their fate (the oldest was 6 before being sold).
And even though I found all of it pretty disgusting up close, I still didn't become vegan until age 31, having been very far removed from that environment for nearly 15 years.
I mention this mostly to speak to the power of social conditioning. Even when we do know, it can take a very long time to put the pieces together without some outside agitation. That's partly why I believe the movement's greatest opportunity is simply to become so visible and omnipresent that our message is impossible to ignore. Because when you're forced to see and think about these things, it becomes much harder to put it at the back of your mind for decades like I did.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Cindy! Hearing real-life examples and personal stories like yours is incredibly valuable. All too often, the vegan movement is criticized as being made up exclusively of urban people who are out of touch with rural life and agriculture. Of course, that’s not true. Over the past few years, I’ve met many former livestock farmers, butchers, and ranchers who have gone vegan. Sharing stories like these could really make a difference. If you’d be interested in telling your story and your journey to veganism in an article for Vegan Horizon, feel free to DM me!
So true, Nathan. Thank you for your compassion and for speaking up for the animals. 💔🐮
As those who have the privilege of freedom, it's our responsibility to raise awareness about this injustice. Please keep using your voice — and if you can, share this article far and wide.
Human beings have my vote for the sickest and stupidest species the planet has ever produced, for everything we do seems inspired by sheer madness and depravity. Yes, there are some noteworthy exceptions to the general rule, but the majority leave everything to be desired.
Truly have to wonder what God had in mind when he decided to create Homo sapiens.
Most of the problem with meat and dairy production is people literally don’t want to know how their food and drink is produced because they are worried it might stop them eating and drinking things they enjoy. So they convince themselves that, whereas there are awful places and farms, the stuff they buy is from really nice farms owned by caring people who love their cows and pigs etc. Of course, they tell themselves that I am simply a bit eccentric as I became a vegetarian at Uni, and then, very speedily, became a Vegan.
This topic is deeply important to me, and it’s frustrating how many misconceptions still surround it. I’m really glad the article struck a chord with you — it means a lot.
Thanks so much for reading, Sally! If you know anyone who’s open to learning more, I’d be so grateful if you shared the article with them — the more people who understand this, the better. 💛
Ashamed to say this was me until around the time I became vegan. And I grew up in farm country. My farming family ran dairy operations. But all the horrific details were out of sight/mind.
My grandparents and aunts/uncles just farmed field corn and milked cows. The milk truck showed up every week. Then every once in a while (when milk production slowed even just a little bit), a big truck would show up and take the cows away (to the slaughterhouse)…usually around age 5.
Later I learned cows can live happy, healthy lives well into their 20s. I’m bitter/ashamed I didn’t connect the dots decades sooner.
Thanks for sharing this! It's really telling that even people who grow up around these practices often don’t see the full picture — shows just how deeply rooted and normalized these ideas are in our culture.
Conditioning / indoctrination is one of the hardest factors to overcome. What may have commence as something approaching a natural phenomenon adopted by individual humans seeking ways to survive, has so often been perverted for profit driven purposes which involve scaling up with little or no thought for its consequences.
Animals have constantly been subject to this ignorance and greed.
Materialism is pervasive in our society precisely because it conditions us to not only accept perfidious actions as 'normal' but also to *expect* the products they produce. The human race is predominantly instinctive and gullible and being 'social', will follow the herd.
Such activity will be difficult to stop because power, control, public information and such is increasingly in the hands of a small number of wealthy players whose interests have nothing to do with creating a wholesome, collaborative, compassionate and caring society - not even for human beings, let alone for animals whom religion has taught us are ours to do with as we wish.
Until humanity matures, (and in my mind it won't before destroying itself and its world), there will be no real understanding, compassion, caring, empathy, sharing or protection and valuing of all species, the environment and our planet. The result is that innocent human beings will be imprisoned, persecuted, tortured, raped, beaten, killed and forced to live in poverty and as slaves, just as animals will be raised for slaughter and the profits their cruel and immoral treatment brings to those who have inculcated a general acceptance that such practice is 'normal' and justifiable.
I knew from a young age that cows needed to be impregnated to make milk. I witnessed an insemination firsthand at the young age of 11, as part of a school project. I also watched the birth of that calf and saw her sent away to slaughter and served up for lunch to our class one year later. I'm completely serious. They fed us her flesh! I ate a bite!
I spent my entire adolescence on two different small dairy farms, working with the cows and calves, noticing them often disappear without a word. I learned how to milk them manually and with machines. I spent a day with a friend at a 400 cow farm where she was working some 4H-style program and saw with my own eyes several of the things you mention here: cows wallowing knee deep in their own waste, sick newborn calves languishing and being left to die, tiny babies in tiny hutches, a recordbook in the office of each cow and their fate (the oldest was 6 before being sold).
And even though I found all of it pretty disgusting up close, I still didn't become vegan until age 31, having been very far removed from that environment for nearly 15 years.
I mention this mostly to speak to the power of social conditioning. Even when we do know, it can take a very long time to put the pieces together without some outside agitation. That's partly why I believe the movement's greatest opportunity is simply to become so visible and omnipresent that our message is impossible to ignore. Because when you're forced to see and think about these things, it becomes much harder to put it at the back of your mind for decades like I did.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Cindy! Hearing real-life examples and personal stories like yours is incredibly valuable. All too often, the vegan movement is criticized as being made up exclusively of urban people who are out of touch with rural life and agriculture. Of course, that’s not true. Over the past few years, I’ve met many former livestock farmers, butchers, and ranchers who have gone vegan. Sharing stories like these could really make a difference. If you’d be interested in telling your story and your journey to veganism in an article for Vegan Horizon, feel free to DM me!
And despite being forcibly impregnated, the mother loves their baby, and cry when they're taken away😞💔🐮🐄
A system of immense cruelty, built off the exploitation of the female reproductive system😞
So true, Nathan. Thank you for your compassion and for speaking up for the animals. 💔🐮
As those who have the privilege of freedom, it's our responsibility to raise awareness about this injustice. Please keep using your voice — and if you can, share this article far and wide.
Human beings have my vote for the sickest and stupidest species the planet has ever produced, for everything we do seems inspired by sheer madness and depravity. Yes, there are some noteworthy exceptions to the general rule, but the majority leave everything to be desired.
Truly have to wonder what God had in mind when he decided to create Homo sapiens.
I always refer to cow’s milk as cow Breast milk. Tends to stop people for a spell.
That's a great idea, Susan! Will start using this as well. Might even use it as an inspiration for a future article, if you don't mind?
Most of the problem with meat and dairy production is people literally don’t want to know how their food and drink is produced because they are worried it might stop them eating and drinking things they enjoy. So they convince themselves that, whereas there are awful places and farms, the stuff they buy is from really nice farms owned by caring people who love their cows and pigs etc. Of course, they tell themselves that I am simply a bit eccentric as I became a vegetarian at Uni, and then, very speedily, became a Vegan.
What a great well written article everyone should read this twice.
Thanks so much for your kind feedback!
This topic is deeply important to me, and it’s frustrating how many misconceptions still surround it. I’m really glad the article struck a chord with you — it means a lot.
this is alarming. I’m speechless. 😶
Thanks so much for reading, Sally! If you know anyone who’s open to learning more, I’d be so grateful if you shared the article with them — the more people who understand this, the better. 💛
Ashamed to say this was me until around the time I became vegan. And I grew up in farm country. My farming family ran dairy operations. But all the horrific details were out of sight/mind.
My grandparents and aunts/uncles just farmed field corn and milked cows. The milk truck showed up every week. Then every once in a while (when milk production slowed even just a little bit), a big truck would show up and take the cows away (to the slaughterhouse)…usually around age 5.
Later I learned cows can live happy, healthy lives well into their 20s. I’m bitter/ashamed I didn’t connect the dots decades sooner.
Thanks for sharing this! It's really telling that even people who grow up around these practices often don’t see the full picture — shows just how deeply rooted and normalized these ideas are in our culture.
Conditioning / indoctrination is one of the hardest factors to overcome. What may have commence as something approaching a natural phenomenon adopted by individual humans seeking ways to survive, has so often been perverted for profit driven purposes which involve scaling up with little or no thought for its consequences.
Animals have constantly been subject to this ignorance and greed.
Materialism is pervasive in our society precisely because it conditions us to not only accept perfidious actions as 'normal' but also to *expect* the products they produce. The human race is predominantly instinctive and gullible and being 'social', will follow the herd.
Such activity will be difficult to stop because power, control, public information and such is increasingly in the hands of a small number of wealthy players whose interests have nothing to do with creating a wholesome, collaborative, compassionate and caring society - not even for human beings, let alone for animals whom religion has taught us are ours to do with as we wish.
Until humanity matures, (and in my mind it won't before destroying itself and its world), there will be no real understanding, compassion, caring, empathy, sharing or protection and valuing of all species, the environment and our planet. The result is that innocent human beings will be imprisoned, persecuted, tortured, raped, beaten, killed and forced to live in poverty and as slaves, just as animals will be raised for slaughter and the profits their cruel and immoral treatment brings to those who have inculcated a general acceptance that such practice is 'normal' and justifiable.
It is not.
but
How the hell do we change or stop it?
Another great documentary free on YouTube ( about Dairy. )
:
MAA KA DOODH (Mother's Milk)