Whistleblower Images Show Cows’ Hooves Rotting, Bloody, and Overgrown

Rotten hooves that were dripping blood. Deep hoof lesions worsening for months. Lame cows attempting to walk on curled, overgrown hooves. Cows permanently confined on concrete floors.

This is the suffering documented in photos and videos PETA obtained from a whistleblower, who says they recorded and captured them at B&D Dairy outside Holstein, Iowa. These are the kind of images the dairy industry doesn’t want you to see.

These images are just a glimpse into the suffering on dairy farms, many of which permanently imprison thousands of cows in giant sheds with hard concrete floors, where they are deprived of everything natural to them.

What the Whistleblower Documented

The whistleblower alleges:

• Many cows suffered from hoof rot, lesions, and severe hoof overgrowth.
• Cows’ hooves deteriorated for as long as months.
• A significant percentage of the cows had hoof ailments and did not receive adequate hoof care.
• Cows with broken legs were left in pain for extended periods until a manager shot them with a gun.
• Numerous cows died from pneumonia, including a calf who suffered for days before dying.

It’s Not Just One Farm

Cows are not milk machines. On dairy farms:

• Unforgiving concrete floors damage their hooves and cause pressure sores.
• Buildups of waste expose them to infection.
• Extreme crowding forces them to stand for long periods.

Here’s what PETA and whistleblowers have documented at other dairy industry facilities across America:

• At Oakridge Dairy—the largest dairy in Connecticut—PETA eyewitnesses found thousands of cows forced to stand on concrete with no access to the outdoors. The only “bedding” they had was their own manure. Eyewitnesses saw cows with swollen joints and apparent pressure sores on their legs, many of which were covered with feces.
• At a North Carolina dairy farm, PETA obtained footage showing cows surrounded by corrosive, bacteria‑laden waste. With no grass, straw, or bedding, the cows lay down in filth, surrounded by putrid odors and swarms of flies they could not escape. One cow’s hoof was so painfully overgrown that she had to hobble around to avoid putting weight on it.

From industrial factory farms to “family” dairies, exploitation and suffering are the standard.

The Cruelty Goes Beyond Concrete Floors

Like all mothers, cows form deep bonds with their babies—but on dairy farms, workers tear newborn calves away from their mothers just days after birth. The milk industry doesn’t let them raise their families, bask in the sun, or even breathe fresh air.

When cows are no longer deemed “profitable”, the industry sends them to slaughter. Their entire lives are defined by confinement, separation, and loss.

Ditch Dairy 

Why? Because every animal is someone. It doesn’t matter if someone’s milk, flesh, or eggs is labeled as “humane,” “free-range,” “organic,” or “grass-fed”—the only truly humane way to eat is vegan.

Going vegan is the most powerful step you can take for our fellow animals, the planet, and your own well‑being. You can start today by ordering a free vegan starter kit.