Viral Image of ‘Bloody Milk’ Is Sad in More Ways Than People Realize
If you needed another reminder that cow’s milk is for baby cows and not for humans, the Internet is here to provide you with one. This viral photo of bloody milk has been shared tens of thousands of times on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/saesweetness/posts/10210296677554503
It shows what appears to be a container full of a murky, pinkish, blood-tainted liquid taken from a cow that is known as colostrum. And while this image may be making your stomach turn on its own, the story behind it just may make your heart sink, too. Colostrum is actually a specific secretion that pregnant cows produce at the very end of their pregnancies and right after their calves are born to nourish their newborns.
Some people don’t realize that in order for cows languishing on dairy farms to produce milk consistently, they have to be impregnated repeatedly. So with a mechanism that dairy workers themselves refer to as a “rape rack,” female cows are forcibly inseminated time and time again. Some mothers cry out after their babies are taken from them so that humans can drink the milk they’ve produced instead. Female calves born into the dairy industry will likely meet the same fate as their mothers, as milking machines, and male calves may spend their short lives locked inside a tiny veal crate before being slaughtered, cut up, and sold in neat packaging at a grocery store.
And if this isn’t enough to convince you to drop dairy “products” from your diet, here are 11 more reasons:
It’s time to ditch cow’s milk and cheese.
These health factors, combined with the environmentally damaging nature of large-scale milk production, make it clear that milk is bad for you, animals, and our planet. The good news is that you don’t need to harm cows—or any other animal—to nourish yourself. Check out these healthier, more absorbable vegan sources of calcium that can be found in grocery stores all over the country:
And don’t stop there!
Going vegan is easier than ever before, and we’re here to help you follow a healthier, more compassionate lifestyle. We can send you a free vegan starter kit packed with recipes and lifestyle tips.
What are you waiting for?
