Project 1882
ANIMALS IN FACTORY FARMS

Cows, calves and bulls

You cannot separate the dairy and meat industries from each other because a lot of the beef comes from animals within the dairy industry. The meat that does not come from the dairy farm animals comes from the so-called beef breeds or crossbreeds. Project 1882 works to reduce the number of animals bred for the sake of dairy and meat consumption and to improve the welfare of cows, calves and bulls.

This is what Project 1882 is doing for cows, calves, and bulls:

  • Putting pressure on politicians and authorities to change laws that affect cows, calves and bulls in Sweden and at the EU level.
  • Informing the public about the situation.
  • Running the inspirational website "Välj Vego" (Choose Vego) to make it easier for more people to opt out of dairy products and meat from cows, calves and bulls.
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COWS, CALVES AND BULLS

The three biggest issues

High milk production makes cows sick

A cow naturally produces 5-10 liters of milk per day for her calf. Selective breeding is a factor that has led to dairy cows producing over 50 liters of milk per day. That takes a huge toll on the cows and contributes to diseases such as mastitis.

Cows are separated from their calves shortly after birth

In order for cows to produce milk, they must give birth to calves. In dairy farms, calves are typically taken away from the cow either immediately or a few days after birth. The separation is stressful for both the cow and the calf, and being apart goes against their natural behavior. The natural weaning period for calves is 6-12 months.

After separation, the calf is usually kept alone in a tight space for up to eight weeks.

False advertising

In milk commercials, cows and calves are often shown in green pastures. Cows in Sweden have the right to graze for 2-4 months per year. However, this grazing right does not apply to calves and bulls. A lot of beef comes from animals in dairy farms, and many bulls are slaughtered each year without ever having had the opportunity to graze. This is the reality despite the industry extensively using values such as grazing and biodiversity in their marketing of milk and beef products, while at the same time continuing to call into question the grazing rights for cows.

COWS, CALVES AND BULLS

The issues with dairy and meat factories

Most of the meat comes from the dairy industry

On average, a cow on a dairy farm gets to live for five years before being slaughtered. The dairy and meat industries cannot be separated. For example about half of the beef in Sweden comes from animals in dairy farms.(1) The meat that does not come from dairy animals is sourced from beef cattle of so-called meat breeds or crossbreeds.

What happens to the calves in the dairy industry? 

In order for cows to produce milk, they must give birth to calves. Therefore, cows are artificially inseminated approximately once a year. On dairy farms, calves are usually taken from their mothers shortly after birth or within a few days. The natural weaning period for cattle is 6-12 months. The separation causes stress for both the cow and the calf(2, 3), and not being together goes against their natural behavior.(4)

After being separated from the mother, the calf is often kept alone in a tight space for up to eight weeks. The minimum allowed size for a veal crate is 1.5 square meters. The calf is fed milk or milk substitute from a bucket a few times a day, instead of nursing directly from its mother as it would in the wild.

Half of the calves born are males, and since they do not produce milk, the majority of them are slaughtered and turned into meat before two years of age.(1, 5) It is not uncommon for male calves to be kept in group pens on slatted floors without bedding.

False advertising

During the summer, all cows, heifers, and steers (castrated males) in Sweden have the right to graze outdoors for 2-4 months.(6) Even though that is better than in many countries,  the lactating cows can be kept indoors for over 90 percent of their lives. The right to graze does not include calves younger than six months or bulls(6), so they are often kept indoors year-round. Despite the grazing regulations being designed to make life easier for the farmers, they are criticized. When cows are on pasture and eat grass, they consume less concentrated feed, which often leads to reduced milk production during the summer.(7) Additionally, as farms expand, it becomes challenging to provide sufficient grazing land for all the animals. Some parts of the dairy industry in Sweden, such as LRF(8), advocate for the elimination or diminishing of grazing rights, but still advertise dairy products with pictures of grazing animals.

Many cows are kept tied up

Approximately one-fifth of cows in the dairy industry in Sweden are kept tied up and indoors for most of the year.(9) This has been the traditional way of keeping cows in many countries. For the affected cows it means they cannot turn around or scratch themselves; they can only stand or lie down. They also don’t get any exercise and have very limited opportunities for social interaction.(4)

The proportion of cows that are kept tied up indoors is decreasing every year. The cows that are not kept tied up are housed in what is called loose housing systems. A loose housing system consists of individual cubicles and/or feeding stalls in rows. The cows back in and out of the cubicles, and there are walkways between the rows for the cows to move. The floors are often hard and slippery, and the walkways can become crowded, which also limits the cows' movement. However, loose housing systems represent an improvement in terms of freedom of movement for the cows. There is also potential to further improve these systems by increasing space, ensuring there are soft and comfortable resting areas, and providing more outdoor access.

High milk production makes cows sick

A cow naturally produces 5-10 liters of milk per day for her calf. Selective breeding has led to dairy cows producing over 50 liters of milk per day. That takes a huge toll on the cows and contributes to diseases such as mastitis.(10)

Transport and slaughter

A dairy cow in the dairy industry lives for about five years on average before being transported to a slaughterhouse where she is slaughtered. At the slaughterhouse, cows, calves and bulls are stunned with a captive bolt pistol shot to the head before their throats are cut and they bleed to death. Research has shown that many cattle show signs of insufficient stunning. Globally, slaughter without prior stunning is common practice.

Organic dairy industry

Calves are taken from cows early even within organic production. Tied-up animals are also found in organic production, however they must be allowed outdoor exercise twice a week in the EU. Organic cattle and bulls should have more access to outdoor areas than other cattle, although not necessarily for grazing. According to organic regulations, animals should also have free access to roughage, such as hay or silage.

1. Svenskt Kött. About meat. Website accessed 2023-02-07.

2. Fredriksson M. et al. (2006) Optimal health and welfare for calves. JBT – Department of Agricultural Biosystems and Technology, SLU.

3. Lidfors L. et al. (2004) Cow-calf separation: Less stress when dairy cows and calves are divorced early. SLU, Facts Agriculture 13:2004.

4. Jensen P. (1993) Animal behavior and the reasons for it. Nature and Culture, LT's publishing house. Stockholm.

5. Official Statistics of Sweden (2022) Livestock production. Annual and monthly statistics 2022:05.

6. The Swedish Board of Agriculture's regulations and general advice on cattle husbandry in agriculture etc., SJVFS 2017:24, L104.

7. Swedish Board of Agriculture (2014) Beteslagstiftningens effekter på lönsamheten i mjölkföretagen – en studie av tre typgårdar. Report 2014:16.

8. Lantbrukarnas Riksförbund (2013) "Dairy farmers want to take more responsibility for grazing" Press release 2013-09-09.

9. Växa Sweden. Personal message 2020-04-16.

10. Flyrén L (2011) Is there a connection between increased milk production and mastitis? SLU, Degree Project in Veterinary Medicine.

11. Atkinson S. et al. (2013) Assessment of stun quality at commercial slaughter in cattle shot with captive bolt. Animal Welfare, vol. 22, ss. 473-481.

12. KRAV rules 2023.

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Project 1882 works for the animals that are the most exploited and suffer the worst. Thanks to your support, we can change the situation of cows, calves and bulls in factory farms.

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