Sunday, 26 August 2012

We have a choice......It doesn't have to be this way

''The huge volume of milk yielded by today's dairy cows can leave the cow lacking enough protein for her own healthy. When this happens, the cow can suffer serious deficiency diseases like ketosis, a condition that impairs metabolism. The milk industry is well aware that by breeding high-yielding milk cows, they have created animals prone to such deficiency diseases. The protein lost to milk is ju
st one problem dairy cows suffer; another problem relates to calcium depletion. Dairy cows already lose a substantial amount of calcium by giving birth every year. This is compounded by the fact that today's cows have exceptionally high milk yields, and the constant drain of calcium can lead to milk fever. Milk fever is a life-threatening condition in cows that begins with sunken eyes and can progress to disorientation and eventually collapse. Sadly, milk fever is considered an acceptable risk in most of America's dairies. Mastitis, an inflammation of the udder, afflicts more than one in five cows. The swollen, overworked udders of today's dairy cows offer an ideal setting for infection.'' (Erik Marcus, Vegan: The New Ethics Of Eating)

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