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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think you shouldn't drink milk if you won't eat veal?

62 replies

PlasticLentilWeaver · 30/01/2011 12:27

I don't mean crate reared continental veal, but British rose veal.

It's a by-product of the dairy industry. Without calves, there's no milk. Surely it is better to rear surplus dairy bull calves for veal in the UK than to slaughter within days of birth or export to the continent?

Veal calves live just as long as lambs, or bacon pigs, and way longer than chickens, so it isn't about duration of lifespan.

So to my way of thinking, if people want to drink milk, they should also be prepared to eat the other output of the production process. Or AIBU?

OP posts:
JaneS · 30/01/2011 12:30

Milk calves in this country aren't suitable for veal, I'm pretty sure.

MardyBra · 30/01/2011 12:33

Not another bloody animal eating thread Angry.

TrillianAstra · 30/01/2011 12:33

What's with the all the veggie threads?

I wouldn't have aproblem with eating British rose veal.

I would have a problem pronouncing it - is it rose like the flower or ros-ay like the wine?

TrillianAstra · 30/01/2011 12:33

But really you can bugger off with your 'I think people should eat xxxx' threads.

BaronessBomburst · 30/01/2011 12:34

I think it's because people don't realise that practises have changed since the 80's, when it all 'kicked off'.

I don't eat meat at all, but DH does. He still won't eat veal though as he still thinks of it as an inhumane meat. That, and to be honest, I don't think we've ever seen organic veal anyway.

BluddyMoFo · 30/01/2011 12:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TrillianAstra · 30/01/2011 12:35

What's it like? Is it nice?

TastesLikePanda · 30/01/2011 12:36

Mmmmmm Veal Grin
We have a lovely veal farm near us and the man who runs it is always recommending cuts to me to use!
I favour the veal sausages wraped in bacon for Pigs in a blanket.

SoupDragon · 30/01/2011 12:38

"M&S say their rose veal is from unwanted male dairy calves"

Isn't that sexist?

JaneS · 30/01/2011 12:39

Well, I like veal but don't fancy it from dairy calves - unless it were so young as to be completely tasteless, I can't imagine it's very nice.

Btw, the article doesn't actually say M&S veal is exclusively from milk calves. It's quite careful on the language, and I may be over-suspicious, though.

TrillianAstra · 30/01/2011 12:40

By jove you're right Soupy - we should be challenging the sexism inherent in the dairy industry! Let the males make milk too!

JaneS · 30/01/2011 12:40

PMSL at soupdragon!

I love veal and pork meatballs - equal quantities of each with plenty of lemon and onion.

Original poster
PlasticLentilWeaver · 30/01/2011 12:40

LittleRedDragon. It's the dairy bred calves that do go for veal. Beef bred calves are reared for beef.

I'm not saying it should be compulsory, that when you pick up your pint of milk that it has a slab of meat attached.

I just get a bit annoyed by people who happily drink milk but deride veal as cruel.

OP posts:
TrillianAstra · 30/01/2011 12:41

Free veal with your milk? Sounds like a great idea!

JaneS · 30/01/2011 12:43

Ok, plastic, I'm confused. I'm probably thinking about frisian cows not just any milk cows. My ex was a dairy farmer and I know their (frisian) calves weren't considered suitable for veal (too expensive to rear and didn't taste nice, as I understand it).

Is that right?

sevendwarves · 30/01/2011 12:46

But how is it any different to male chicks being killed immediately after hatching in the egg-laying industry?

BluddyMoFo · 30/01/2011 12:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ValiumSandwichTime · 30/01/2011 12:48

I don't see the logic there. Milk comes from adult cows, and they're not killed.... so Confused

Anyway, can't wait for lunch... smells lovely mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

ValiumSandwichTime · 30/01/2011 12:48

(it's not veal btw, it's a normal roast)

redrollers · 30/01/2011 13:05

i have no idea what you are talking about

you don't have to kill a cow to get it's milk.

or am I missing something?

GarconsSontCommeDesChiens · 30/01/2011 13:08

red rollers the point is that in order to get each cow to lactate it has to have a calf - what happens to that calf once the cow is in the milking system

Original poster
PlasticLentilWeaver · 30/01/2011 13:09

VST you don't get milk without a calf. Dairy breeds don't make good beef, dairy cross beef calves do, but you need some 100% dairy heifers for herd replacement. But 50% of your calves will be male.

The egg industry is a whole other moral dilemma for me. Trying to work out still where I sit with that one. Other than trying to buy local back garden eggs, I'm not sure what to do.

OP posts:
BuzzLightBeer · 30/01/2011 13:09

I would buy much more milk if it came with free veal. Mmmm, scallopini alla milanese.

JaneS · 30/01/2011 13:09

I think the OP means that, by drinking milk and not eating the calves that make that milk happen, you're 'wasting' calves.

But then, even if we did all eat veal, we'd still be letting a cow go through many short cycles of pregnancy and milk-production before a (very) early death, so I'm not sure I fully understand why eating veal would be such a good thing.