Interesting article. I have always thought it odd and unexplainable why drinking milk specifically formulated for an infant of a radically different species is considered normal or even healthy. Whilst most people would think it odd to grab a dog or a cat and starting drinking her milk the acceptability of drinking from a cow is beyond question however I don’t think consumers are aware that cows only make milk after they give birth and that this has to occur over and over.

Now there's a new business opportunity, we'll call it milk blend....and place the usual packaging codes....."From local and imported ingredients:) however mothers in maturity wards want be that forth coming:)

LEA

Now there's a new business opportunity, we'll call it milk blend....and place the usual packaging codes....."From local and imported ingredients:) however mothers in maternity wards wont be that easily forth coming:) Colostrum is not substitute cows milk, although I feel a little Animals right tag in there somewhere.

LEA

Okay so the govt gives us all two acres of land and we can have a house cow for milk each day hanging out with its offspring (I think they only need to have one in a lifetime Q) for those of us that like cow milk. Why hasn’t the dairy industry come up with a hormone shot that induces milk production? They did for humans.

We have the govt wanting to take babies off teenage mums at an age their offspring are likely to be still breastfeeding. How about for Human Mothers Day we query the cruelty of that one.

If cows were designed and manufactured by humans they would only need to have one offspring in order for them to produce milk for the rest of their lives. Or perhaps we could genetically engineer them to not even need to have one calf. However they are animals who like humans create milk for a purpose...the provision of fats and nutrients to their infants. This is why every year a cow must be artificially impregnated and then separated from her offspring. I dont think there is any way around it...if we want their milk we have to impregnate them (and it is done artifically by humans, gross) and then take the calf. If we left the calf with the mother he or she might drink too much milk and not leave enough for us.

Gee what a depressing article!

I assume the author is a vegan, and has never used any animal products for any reason?

Humans have used cows milk for many thousands of years, and I doubt it will stop any time soon.

Are we all supposed to stop eating/drinking dairy products now?
I really don't see the point of this article.

This is a thought provoking informative article. I had thought the dairy industry cows were much better treated than cows who are slaughtered for our meat consumption.

I was horrified as a child, when having an uncle who worked in the meat industry, I once enquired how the bullocks were killed. I was told that they knocked them in the head with a hammer like instrument and it sometimes took a few blows to finish them off. The worst part was the other bullocks were lined up behind the one being slaughtered and could see what their fate was going to be.

Later on I was told they changed the method to shooting a huge bolt into their heads. I have no idea how they do it today but I hope it is kinder than these methods used in earlier times.

As for milk, could we not substitute coconut milk or something and add the vitamins and minerals a baby needs. I think there may be a problem with soy milk for babies because of the phytoestrogen component.

Most of us just don’t like to think about the kill factor in food we eat, but maybe we should. Public Awareness might result in kinder methods
Of production.

Yes, it's not just the killing of animals that concerns me, but what about the killing of those poor widdwe vegetables?