Shocking Moment: A "Surplus" Baby Calf Is Shot In His Head at Farm Supplying Milk to Make Chocolate
source: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3716518/Baby-calf-is-coldly-shot-in-the-head-at-a-...
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- EthicalVegan
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Caught on film: Shocking moment a ‘surplus’ baby calf is slaughtered at farm supplying milk for chocolate
By JOHN COLES and DAN SALES
Published: 27 Jul 2011
A CALF is coldly shot in the head — at a dairy farm supplying milk to the chocolate industry.
The unwanted young bull had been taken from its mother and led to a trailer where other animals already lay dead.
A man believed to be a licensed slaughterman from a fox-hunting kennels killed it with a pistol.
The footage was secretly recorded by animal welfare activists who infiltrated 15 farms producing milk to be used in choc bars.
Members of campaign group Viva! said their film exposed the "bloody secrets" behind the sweets — while stressing that nothing they uncovered was illegal.
Viva! acted after figures revealed 100,000 male calves a year are deemed a surplus by-product on Britain's dairy farms because they cannot give birth or produce milk.
Some die at birth or go for pet food.
Disturbing
But others are shot like the one filmed at Harwood Gate Farm near Bristol, which displays a sign showing it supplies milk to chocolate giant Cadbury.
Viva! spokesman Justin Kerswell said: "I thought it was shocking. Customers might find it very disturbing."
Cadbury, which produces 250 million bars of its famous Dairy Milk each year, is owned by US food giant Kraft.
A spokesman said calves were normally sent to a dealer.
But the one which was filmed had a deformed leg so it was disposed of "humanely".
Kraft Foods said in a statement: "Consumers can be reassured we take animal welfare standards seriously.
"Creating a market for bull calves is a challenge for the dairy industry.
We have been working with our suppliers to encourage humane solutions."
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charliesommers
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Unless you are a vegetarian this should have caused minimal outrage. Animals are killed daily by the tens of thousands to satisfy our craving for meat. If this animal had been killed by a slow method such as strangling I would be outraged. A bullet to the head is humane in that it causes instant death if done correctly. I worked in a slaughterhouse for seven years and know what I am talking about.
I don't really think a company or farm that is in business to provide an income for someone can be expected to care for all the misfit animals. If you are a pet owner you must realize that your pet food comes from somewhere. If you are truly outraged perhaps you should make arrangements to purchase the animals that fall into this category and raise them at your own expense.
- 8 months ago
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charliesommers
