Just as human mothers produce milk when they are pregnant with which to feed their babies, so too, of course, do all other mammals - including cows. Unfortunately, very soon after birth cow and calf are separated never too see each other again. Cows bellow for days after, in an attempt to find their calf but to no avail. The calf is enclosed in some unlit prison. Within weeks the cow is pregnant again and this cycle continues each year, until, after having been pregnant for around eight times, she is generally slaughtered for low grade meats, such as beefburgers, pies and pasties or pet food. By this time in her life, thanks to being constanty pregnant and lactating, she is severely lacking in calcium and is very weak. In addition, throughout her life, antibiotics are constantly inserted into sore teats as the never ending milking process inflames them, in a condition called mastitis. All these babies and she has not once known the joys of motherhood nor that of sex as a man with a tube full of semen does the job of the bull.

What of the calf? If it's male it is the dairy industry's waste. During the BSE period when exports of British beef were banned the male calves when simply slaughtered with a bullet to the head. Now that live exports are once more allowed, many of these calves are shipped to the Continent to endure several weeks enclosed within the veal crate until they are anaemic enough for their flesh to be eaten as veal. Many others are still summarily shot (See Changing the Countryside.) The females simply go through the same milk factory lives as their mothers.

Incidentally, be wary of the nutritional claims of the dairy industry - they are simply bogus. Unless you happen to be a calf.

For more information please visit www.milkmyths.org.uk

THESE VIDEOS ARE DISTRESSING ONLY WATCH IF YOU FEEL ABLE BUT THE WAY TO END THIS SUFFERING IS DON'T BUY DAIRY