From the Corral: Beef from dairy cows improves the well-being of calves

From the perspective of animal welfare, dairy cattle (Holstein and Angus crossbreed) improve animal welfare because surplus newborn dairy calves are now more valuable. Valuable animals typically receive much better treatment. In the western United States, pure Holstein calves have been raised as feeder calves since the 1970s. In the eastern United States, before dairy-beef production began, many newborn Holstein calves were taken to auction and sold for slaughter as bob veal. It is almost impossible to humanely handle two-day-old calves that can barely walk. In the 1980s, I tried to design a handling system for newborn dairy calves. Conveyor belts were installed on the ground to move them. It was a waste of money. The handling was atrocious and the small calves were thrown from the top of livestock trucks and dragged through the pens. I completely hated the slaughter of bob veal. Increasing dairy-beef production will eliminate the slaughter of newborn dairy calves. The slaughter ...