According to an article in the peer-reviewed publication The Veterinary Journal, more than half of dairy cows suffer from inflamed leg wounds.
The wounds are caused by the unnatural, barren environments in which dairy cows are forced to spend their lives. Cows’ lower leg joints are not cushioned by fat or muscle. Consequently, these large animals are particularly susceptible to discomfort and injury when they have no choice but to lie on the abrasive, hard surfaces that characterize dairy factory farms.
Mercy For Animals Canada documented horrific abuse and neglect, including numerous festering leg wounds, at the country’s largest dairy farm earlier this year. Eight workers now face criminal cruelty to animals charges, and the company itself is under investigation for its role in the abuse and neglect.
With or without an epidemic of painful leg injuries, the dairy industry is built on cruelty. Cows are kept in an emotionally and physically demanding cycle of constant pregnancy and birth. They have their calves taken away from them within hours after birth, causing immense distress for both mother and baby. Newborn male calves are sent to languish, frightened and alone, on veal farms.
Consumers who can’t swallow animal cruelty can join the growing number of Canadians who are experimenting with delicious and nutritious plant-based alternatives to dairy products. Check out ChooseVeg.ca to get inspired.
Image: A painfully inflamed leg wound at Canada’s largest dairy factory farm.
