Sylvia - Rescued from the veal trade

Sylvia

Sylvia was rescued from the veal trade, just after she was born

The veal trade is a by product of the dairy industry

A female cow has to be pregnant to produce the yield and quality of milk that the dairy industry requires.

As this is a production industry, it is quicker, more efficient and convenient for the cow to be artificially inseminated. Also bulls are bred so large now that physical injury may be caused to the female being mounted. What cannot currently be predicted is the sex of the born calf. ​If the calf born is female, she will be taken away from her mother and will most likely become a dairy cow, and replicate the life of her mother. Or she will go into the veal tradeThe veal trade is a cruel world, as it is about keeping the muscle young. pale and underdeveloped, so it is 'tender' for humans to eat. What that means is the calf is kept as inactive as possible, so the muscles don't grow, the fibre doesn't toughen. This means they are kept confined, with very limited space, and sunlight isn't something a veal calf sees

Traditional veal crates were banned in the UK in 1990, and across the EU in 2007, Though are fully active in the USA.  A ban doesn't mean that this law is stuck to though, or that the veals have any more room.. Traditional/White Veal calves are fed a low iron liquid milk substitute, and the EU law says they must have a daily amount of fibrous food, to allow their digestive system to form correctly. While this keeps them alive, it doesn't nourish their body, and keeps their flesh pale, by keeping them anaemic. They are also kept in confinement These calves have their lives taken from them at approx 4-5 months old.

It is less common for a female calf to enter the veal trade, as it is usually the males who are born from dairy cows, who have no use in the dairy industry. Approximately 50% of male calves born into the dairy industry are pure dairy calves, and approximately 50% are dairy/beef crosses. About half of the pure dairy calves will go into intensive low quality beef rearing, and have their lives taken about 12 months old. The rest go into the veal trade, or are shot within 48 hours of birth... 

'The calves are typically housed on wooden slats and there is no requirement for bedding material after the first two weeks. Fully slatted floors can make standing and lying down extremely uncomfortable for calves. They can cause foot injuries and lameness' - CIWF

In the UK there is an 'alternative' to traditional veal, which is called 'Rose Veal'. It's dressed up as a more 'kind' practice, as the calves are allowed to live until they are at least 6 months old, though less than 12 months. Rose Veal are only allowed to be kept in confined crates till they are 8 weeks old

Around 6 million calves are reared for veal in the EU each year...​

Sylvia is one of the lucky ones, who is now free to live out the rest of her natural life at The Retreat Animal Rescue with all the other rescued animals including cows, pigs, sheep, horses, donkeys, geese, turkeys