• News
• Fringe
• Sports
• Editorial
• UH Section
• Archives

• About
• Join the Post
• Contact
• Advertising

• E-mail
• Print
• Text size:

Alliance for Animals

We are writing in response to Geoffrey Loper’s editorial in the Oct. 13 issue of the Post. Loper criticized People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for requesting that Ben & Jerry’s abandon the use of cow breast milk to make ice cream and instead use human milk. Alliance for Animals (AFA) is not affiliated with PETA, nor do we condone many of their tactics and publicity stunts such as this one. However, we feel that Loper downplayed the plight of cows used for dairy production, and we would like to use this opportunity to correct some common misconceptions about the dairy industry.

It is true, as Loper stated, that a single female cow can produce thousands of gallons of milk per year. However, this is only achieved under very unnatural conditions. A cow is not a natural “milk machine,” as the dairy industry would have us believe. In the modern farming system, female cows are kept continuously pregnant because they, like human females, only lactate when they produce offspring. Upon the birth of her calf, the mother is impregnated again as quickly as possible. Her calf is taken from her and either immediately slaughtered or crated for the veal industry (if he is male), or raised as another dairy cow (if she is female).

This intensive cycle of pregnancy and milking, combined with cramped, unsanitary living conditions and an inadequate diet, causes much stress on a female cow. While a cow’s natural lifespan is 20 years or more, a typical dairy cow lives an average of five to six years. She often suffers from disease, udder breakdown, mastitis (a painful udder infection caused by over-milking) and lameness due to calcium depletion.

We in AFA found PETA’s suggestion to use human breast milk counterproductive. We suggest that Ben and Jerry’s create a product line of cruelty-free ice cream using soy, rice or coconut milk. This is a more realistic and attainable solution to the ethical issues raised by industrial dairy production. If you’re interested in learning more about cruelty-free ice creams or the mistreatment of cows, contact Alliance for Animals at afamilwaukee@gmail.com, or visit www.farmsanctuary.org or www.veganoutreach.org.

> Comments