Factory farming

The truth behind the dairy industry

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Why drinking milk is bad for dairy cows and find out what you can do to help?

Cows wedged and being milked in a milking machine.

Kids’ books about farmed animals are popular, with illustrations of happy looking cows roaming on green pastures. Unfortunately, for many of the two million dairy cows farmed for milk in the UK, this childhood fairytale is far from reality.

Demand for cheap dairy milk has led to the industrialisation of dairy farming, which has turned cows into milk machines whose welfare is rarely considered beyond limited legal requirements.

Here’s what you need to know about what’s wrong with consuming dairy.

What are the animal welfare concerns in the dairy industry?

Early separation

Dairy cows are forced to become pregnant every year, either through artificial insemination or mating. Like humans, cows need to have a baby in order to produce milk. Right after giving birth, free mother cows often spend time cleaning their calf, and creating a bond that - like so many animals - can last a lifetime.

But cows used for dairy don’t get the chance to keep their babies. Often within hours of birth, their young calves will be taken away. While the female calves will be taken away to be reared for milk production like their mothers, male calves - considered “useless byproducts” or “waste” by the dairy industry - are most likely to be shot after birth. Some male calves may be sold to become veal, and others may be raised to become beef.

If allowed, calves would naturally suckle from their mother for up to a year, and would remain closely bonded to her for the years following. When calves are taken away after birth it causes documented distress for both mother cow and her calf.

Just three months after giving birth and losing her calf, dairy cows are once again impregnated, forced to go through pregnancy and the loss of another baby multiple times in their short lives.

Confined conditions

The dairy industry has become increasingly intensive, leading to more cows being kept inside for a significant portion of their lives, if not for the entirety. In the UK, zero-grazing dairy systems are on the rise, with an estimated 20% of dairy cows never being able to set foot on grass their whole lives.

In some countries outside the UK, cows are kept in what are called tie-stalls, meaning they are tethered, either with a chain, rope, or metal bar, confined for 24 hours a day throughout the entire winter season - or for some, for their entire lives.

Mutilations

Between just two to six weeks of age, calves in the dairy industry are 'disbudded' or 'dehorned', often meaning that a hot iron is used to burn the horn bud. This makes calves easier for farmers to handle. Sometimes the horns grow back and they are dehorned again.

In some countries, disbudding may be done using a caustic paste. This can cause serious burns to the calves, who also endure stress due to being restrained.

In the UK, local anaesthetic is supposed to be used to reduce pain.

Early slaughter

Cows have a natural lifespan of around 20 years or more. But those in the dairy industry are slaughtered at around five or six years of age, when their milk production slows down.

If cows become lame, suffer mastitis (a painful inflammation of the udders), or aren’t considered fertile or productive enough, they can be killed even younger.

What is the environmental impact of the dairy industry?

Greenhouse gas emissions

Cows are ruminant animals who produce methane - a very potent greenhouse gas - when they digest plants.

Over a 20 year period, methane is up to 86 times more potent that carbon dioxide for trapping heat in the atmosphere. A litre of dairy milk emits 3.15 kg of greenhouse gases, which is nearly three times as much as even the most emissions-intensive plant-based milk.

Deforestation

Dairy cows are often fed soy, much of which is grown in South America and exported to countries, including the UK. Growing soy for animal feed is a major driver of deforestation in wildlife-rich habitats like the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado. In 2021, an investigation by Greenpeace UnEarthed traced soy fed to British dairy cows to deforested land in South America.

Deforestation further adds to the carbon footprint of dairy, since the forests being destroyed to grow soy are crucial carbon sinks.

Water pollution

Dairy farms are big sources of water pollution. In fact, dairy production causes the most water pollution compared to all other foods. This is because cows produce massive amounts of waste - more than 50 litres a day each - which is stored in containers that can leak into the environment. Farmers also spread some of that waste on fields as fertiliser, which can then runoff into waterways, overloading them with nutrients that can deplete the oxygen and lead to harmful algal blooms.

In the UK, dairy farms have been linked to numerous major pollution incidents, and the majority of those thousands of farms have been found to be breaching water pollution regulations.

Water usage

Dairy farming requires a lot of water for the animals to drink, as well as for growing feed crops and for cleaning. On average, it takes 628 litres of water to produce just one litre of milk.

Almond milk often gets criticised for being too water intensive, but even a litre of almond milk uses almost half as much water as dairy production.

Cows who spend much of their lifetime grazing on pasture use less freshwater because the pasture is watered by rain. But cows fed crops grown with irrigation instead of rainwater have a much greater water footprint.

Health risks associated with consuming dairy products

Heart disease

Dairy products can be high in saturated fat and cholesterol, both of which contribute to heart disease risk in humans (though it’s not clear that consuming dairy directly contributes to poor heart health).

Cancer

Some studies have linked dairy consumption to an increased risk of certain cancers, such as prostate and breast cancer, possibly due to the hormones found in milk.

In one study of men with prostate cancer, those who ate three or more servings a day of dairy products were 76% more likely to die from all causes, and 141% more likely to die from prostate cancer, compared to men who ate one serving or less per day.

Allergies and intolerances

Despite children being encouraged to drink cow’s milk, dairy allergies are actually among the most common allergies affecting kids. While many children do outgrow them, dairy allergies can cause symptoms including wheezing, vomiting, hives, digestive problems, and in serious cases, anaphylaxis.

Milk allergies are not the same as lactose intolerance, which is when you can’t digest lactose, the sugar in milk. Symptoms of lactose intolerance include bloating, gas, stomach ache, diarrhoea, and feeling generally unwell. About 68% of people are thought to be lactose intolerant.

How can we make more ethical and sustainable food choices?

Reduce or cut out dairy consumption

Cutting down on how much dairy you consume is a simple way to make your diet more ethical and sustainable.

Many of us have been told since we were young that we need to drink cow’s milk to be healthy, in particular for strong teeth and bones, but it isn’t actually necessary. It’s possible to get enough calcium from plant-based foods including dark leafy greens, tofu, and fortified plant-based milks.

Try plant-based dairy alternatives

We’re absolutely spoiled for choice these days when it comes to plant-based dairy alternatives, including milk, yoghurt, cheese, and desserts. Look for brands that are fortified with nutrients including calcium, vitamin D, and B12.

Read labels

Dairy is snuck into many food products in the form of milk powder. To avoid dairy, read ingredient labels carefully. As an allergen, milk and milk-derived ingredients, such as whey, will be listed in bold.

Educate yourself

A lot of people are unaware of the harsh reality of the dairy industry, with many not even realising that a cow has to have a calf (and have it taken from them) in order to produce milk.

It’s important to educate ourselves about how animal products are made so we can make better choices about what to buy.

The bottom line

The dairy industry has a detrimental effect on animals, the planet, and our health. The biggest impact an individual can have is by leaving animals on our plates.

If you're concerned about the plight of animals raised for food, you can join us and take action for animals in our campaigns.

Read our blog to find out more about plant-based milk and the best options for the lowest environmental impact.

Find out more