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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder whether people actually believe that there’s blood, piss and antibiotics in cow’s milk?

100 replies

nonnatushouse · 12/08/2018 21:39

I’ve seen the posters which say as much but I didn’t realise people actually believed it until today after over hearing 2 women in a park today.

OP posts:
harshbuttrue1980 · 12/08/2018 22:28

I would actually love dairy to be humane, as I miss milk and butter! The Hare Krishnas do have a slaughter free milk production system, where the bulls are kept and elderly cows are allowed to "retire". Its called Ahimsa Dairy. However, the milk is VERY expensive as it covers the upkeep of the "useless" bulls and retired cows, and there is a huge waiting list. I'm on the waiting list and will start consuming dairy again if I ever get to the top of the list.

malfoyy · 12/08/2018 22:28

Ethical eggs yes, never meat.

Unless the animal drains dead of its own accord first - okay, so maybe accidental road kill. Confused

malfoyy · 12/08/2018 22:29

*drops

PlantsArePeopleToo · 12/08/2018 22:29

I'm transitioning to vegan ATM.

The more I think about milk the more I am weirded out by it. You're an adult drinking something which is meant for the baby of another species. No thanks.

Fresta · 12/08/2018 22:32

Cows might not be milked 24/7, but I have heard that in some intensive dairy farms cows are hooked up to the machines 24 hours a day and they never leave the milking shed.

VanillaSugar · 12/08/2018 22:33

Ahhh, this explains why my veggie DD will not drink cows milk. We've just had a discussion about rice milk v oat milk, funnily enough.

VanillaSugar · 12/08/2018 22:34

How does Duchy Organic milk fit into this framework?

Original poster
nonnatushouse · 12/08/2018 22:34

I live up north and all dairy cows around here are grazed but they’re small time farmers with herds comprising of no more than 250-300 cows, I can’t speak for other folk but I don’t agree with ‘zero grazed’ cows.

Yes, their calves do get taken off them after birth. Dairy cows produce far too much milk for one calf. If left to their own devices, the calves would drink too much and end up with scours (calf diahrrea) which isn’t pleasant and can lead to dehydration and death.

My brother actually rears dairy bulls.

OP posts:
malfoyy · 12/08/2018 22:35

I'm genuinely curious to know if it really was me OP overheard. Statistically speaking how many people discuss puss in milk on a daily basis do you think?

If it was me OP was stalking the vegan stand at an event. Checking out the enemy?

Original poster
nonnatushouse · 12/08/2018 22:37

@malfoyy I was at a local play park with DD. We live near Pickering in North Yorkshire.

Pretty certain there was no vegan event on today.

OP posts:
PlantsArePeopleToo · 12/08/2018 22:37

Yes, their calves do get taken off them after birth.

Exactly.

Dairy cows produce far too much milk for one calf. If left to their own devices, the calves would drink too much and end up with scours (calf diahrrea) which isn’t pleasant and can lead to dehydration and death.

In that case the solution is to leave them until they've taken what they need.

BertieBotts · 12/08/2018 22:37

I think it's because it can be true in the US, that's where the obsession with organic food comes from too, because their standards in general are so low that there is some really shocking shit in their food.

In the EU it's generally not so important to buy organic because we have much more stringent regulations about what is allowed to make its way into food products here. There are (possibly?) still benefits to buying organic but it's not like our non-organic food is actually likely to have harmful stuff in it.

malfoyy · 12/08/2018 22:38

If you didn't rear the cows for milk then the issue of too much milk for a calf wouldn't be there. It's a problem that farmers create for their own gain.

Cows milk is for baby cows.

PodgeHog · 12/08/2018 22:39

Ex dairy cows make incredible beef - Not as common as it should be and a bit labour intensive but also delicious. The Spanish do it.

glintandglide · 12/08/2018 22:40

This is tough because whilst there realy is unlikely to be puss blood or antibiotics in your milk it is a cruel industry by nature and there is no denying that

Mostly i wish it just never existed because it would be so much easier. Giving it up is so hard, particularly as children as basically weaned onto it in this country. We get through huge amounts

I have dairy farming family but they are abroad and don’t sell nationally. I have previously emailed all the milk producers I could think of with relevant questiosn and based on their answers picked Yeo valley and Waitrose as preferred suppliers. They’re far from ideal though.

cdtaylornats · 12/08/2018 22:41

Put this up where the vegan can see it

PlantsArePeopleToo · 12/08/2018 22:41

As a side note and possibly TMI but I've noticed that since cutting out dairy I no longer have to rush to the toilet several times a day for a shit. I now poop once or twice a day and no longer have the feeling that I need to go RIGHT NOW as soon as I realise I need to take a dump.

Original poster
nonnatushouse · 12/08/2018 22:42

baby cows calves, actually.

Well, you’re a fair way from getting rid of us dairy folk no matter what you think of us.

It amazes me how many people play pop with farmers because their calves are taken off them after birth (dairy) or after 6-7 months (beef) yet they have cats and dogs who are also taken from their mothers as kittens and puppies.

OP posts:
ilovegin112 · 12/08/2018 22:43

Ahh peta lies, they euthanise 80% of the animals they take in, I wouldn’t believe them if they said they were on fire

Original poster
nonnatushouse · 12/08/2018 22:43

plantsarepeopletoo I eat a dairy rich diet and only poop twice a day max.

OP posts:
Scrowy · 12/08/2018 22:45

Dairy farms that are still breeding their own replacements (pure dairy calves) tend to artificially inseminate with sexed semen these days to maximise the chances of getting female calves.

Most of the dairy farms I know though put a beef breed of bull onto most their dairy cows and get a calf that is half beef breed half dairy breed. These calves male or female go into the beef market, although the female calves are sometimes bought by beef farmers to add into their own herds for breeding from.

The slaughtering of older cattle/animals no longer able to produce offspring isn't unique to dairy cattle. The 'cast cattle' market has its own important part to play the food industry, old cows aren't just thrown in a skip or an incinerator and wasted once they get too old to carry calves.

JennyBlueWren · 12/08/2018 22:46

If we didn't have cows for milk or meat we wouldn't have cows.

Original poster
nonnatushouse · 12/08/2018 22:46

Scrowy yes! I forgot about the AI with sexed semen.

The dairy farm I worked at used an Angus bull to breed from too.

OP posts:
PlantsArePeopleToo · 12/08/2018 22:47

Well, you’re a fair way from getting rid of us dairy folk no matter what you think of us.

When did you first think you could read minds?

It amazes me how many people play pop with farmers because their calves are taken off them after birth (dairy) or after 6-7 months (beef)

And it amazes me how many people react with hostility whenever the word 'vegan' is mentioned.

yet they have cats and dogs who are also taken from their mothers as kittens and puppies.

Were the puppies and kittens taken away from their mothers right after birth before they could have a chance to drink their milk? Nope? In that case it's not the same thing.

Original poster
nonnatushouse · 12/08/2018 22:47

JennyBlueWren yes and that would be absolutely shit 😢

OP posts: