This diet is designed to keep their flesh pale in colour. These calves are reared in groups from when they are around eight weeks old. The size of the groups range from a few calves up to 80, and minimum space allowances per calf are laid down by law.
However, calves need enough space to lie down and stand up, groom themselves, move around, explore and interact socially. The calves are typically housed on wooden slats and there is no requirement for bedding material after the first two weeks.
Fully slatted floors can make standing and lying down extremely uncomfortable for calves. They can cause foot injuries and lameness. Again, evidence shows that the EU minimum iron requirement may be too low for full health and robustness. Anaemia damages the immune system and causes calves to be weak, lethargic and probably feel unwell. Although these calves have a healthier diet, they may still be reared in low welfare systems.
Every year, almost one million calves are transported on very long journeys across Europe, although evidence shows that young calves are particularly vulnerable to the stresses of handling and transport.
They are unable to regulate their body temperature to cope with the extremes of heat and cold during long journeys. They often suffer bruising and weight loss as a result of the discomfort of transportation and lack of space and comfortable bedding.
The longer the distance the greater the stress; many calves become ill or die after they arrive at the rearing farms. Banned within the EU, narrow veal crates are still used in the US and many other countries.
These make it impossible for calves to turn around and many are tied by the neck. In order to keep their flesh pale and tender, the calves kept in crates are fed on an unhealthy diet of milk or milk replacer, usually without any solid food. Calves can become seriously anaemic due to the lack of iron and their rumen does not develop properly due to the lack of solid and fibrous food.
Public pressure to end the use of veal crates on animal welfare grounds has resulted in some major US veal producers starting to phase out veal crates and some US states have voted to make them illegal. Veal does not have to be a cruel meal; there are alternative production systems that provide higher welfare for veal calves. In these systems, calves are reared in small groups in straw-bedded barns.
They are provided with adequate space allowance per calf and may have access to the outdoors. They are fed a normal diet for growing calves, without restriction of iron intake and solid food. In the best systems, such as many organic systems, the calves are able to suckle from an older cow retired from the dairy herd. Research has shown that calves under four weeks old struggle to adapt to the live transport process and can suffer higher levels of illness and death following transport.
Is veal raised humanely? Although veal crates have been banned in the EU, many calves on the continent are still kept in barren houses with slatted floors and no straw bedding. Not giving calves straw to lie on means they have nowhere comfortable to sleep and rest. Having no fibre in their diet can stop their digestive system from developing normally - good quality fibre such as clean barley straw is essential.
Calves can be given a low iron milky diet with insufficient fibre. Is veal still cruel? The calves must be kept in small groups, with deep straw bedding to lie on and are not allowed to be solely fed on milk.
They must be given a diet rich in iron and fibre to keep them healthy and to allow their digestive systems to develop normally. Each hutch must be big enough for the individual calf to turn around and lie down whilst feeling secure and safe. And there must be plenty of straw bedding to lie on, play with and nibble. The calves must also be able to see, hear and touch those kept in neighbouring hutches.
However, the new RSPCA standards encourage keeping calves in pairs, which enables them to develop their social skills at an earlier age. The law in the UK requires all calves to be housed in groups by 8 weeks of age. What is rose veal? Yes, all RSPCA Assured labelled veal is rose as the calves must have had fibre in their diet and are over six months before they are slaughtered. However, whether it is healthier than beef is a different question to whether it is healthy overall.
Veal contains roughly milligrams of cholesterol per grams, over a third of the daily limit. However, the very idea of daily cholesterol limits is out of fashion; current advice is to consume as little dietary cholesterol as possible. In a world where plant-based protein is abundant, there is no need to consume veal or other cruelly manufactured animal products.
It supposedly has a more delicate flavor, despite the distinct absence of delicacy in its manufacture. There are extensive outdoor and indoor methods of producing veal that works on a much better welfare basis. These indoor options have bedding for the calves, access to the outdoors and ventilation, and more space per calf. The outdoor options are the best for calves, and the highest standard organic farms suckle calves on an older, retired dairy cow.
They also require veal calves to have sufficient fiber and iron in their diets. Suckler herds allow veal calves to stay with their mothers and be weaned off their milk before slaughter. As it avoids the pain of separation, and calves get the psychological and health benefits of staying with their mother, this can be a higher welfare option. UK standards require calves to have bedding, and for younger calves to consume twice the fibrous food of continental calves. The minimum amount of iron in their diet is also supposed to be higher, and older calves should be provided with more room than is required in Europe.
Veal is legal because there is still demand it. The shocking nature of its production has led to bans on the most egregious forms of veal rearing, like the use of veal crates and the procurement of slink veal.
Yet veal remains legal because animals have no recognizable rights in countries across the globe. Ultimately, as long as consumers refuse to change their eating habits, the way that veal is made and indeed the treatment of any food animals will remain in the hands of an agricultural industry that seeks to maximize profit and creates massive suffering as a result.
There is only one sure-fire way to make sure you do not contribute to the practice of veal raising and slaughter; to exclude veal and dairy from your diet. Since veal calves are largely provided by the dairy industry, as a byproduct of breeding milk cows, the two industries are inextricably linked. Supporting dairy means the support of the veal industry and the killing of thousands of animals.
Veal has tried to restore its reputation and rebrand itself as something free from the stain of cruelty that blemished its name for so long. Yet in the U. It is unclear if an industry that kills baby cows who do not want to die, sometimes before they have even suckled from their mother, can ever call itself humane. That remains the nature of the veal industry and it typifies the indifference of industrial agriculture toward animals at large.
UK based writer opposed to the unnecessary suffering of all beings. Dissecting our treatment of animals in history, philosophy and culture. Founder of The Liberator online magazine. What Is Veal Made From? Bob Veal Bob veal is meat from calves killed at anything from a couple of hours to a month old, but who are typically under two weeks of age. Slink Veal Slink veal is the youngest possible veal, harvested from stillborn or unborn calves.
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