A1262019604zLrsw

1
The Life of a Dairy Cow
This cow has been made pregnant, and will soon
give birth to a calf. What will happen to the
calf? What will his or her life be like?
2
If the calf is male

• He is useless to a dairy farmer
• He may be killed very soon after birth
• He may be taken from his mother and reared
  intensively for meat known as veal
• He will never drink his mothers milk again

3
If the calf is female

• She will be taken from her mother at just a few
  hours or days old
• If she is weak or sickly she will be killed
  straight away
• She may be taken to be part of a beef herd
• She will never drink her mothers milk again

4
If the calf is female

• She may be taken to be part of a new dairy herd
• She will be weaned on to solid food very quickly
• After that she will eat grass or a special feed

5
When she is little over a year old

• She will be made pregnant for the first time
• Most modern farmers use artificial insemination

6
When she is two years old

• She will give birth to her first calf, who will
  be taken from her almost straight away
• She will start producing milk, which would have
  fed her calf

7
Just three months later

• She will be made pregnant again, while she is
  still being milked

8
When she is three years old

• She will give birth to her second calf, who will
  be taken from her almost straight away
• She will produce more milk, which would have fed
  her calf

9
Just three months later

• She will be made pregnant again, while she is
  still being milked
• Are you getting the idea?

10

• This will continue until she is too exhausted to
  produce any more milk, usually at about 5 years
  old
• She will then be killed and made into pet food