This undercover investigation by PEA at the slaughterhouse of Moudon in Vaud, Switzerland, reveals how baby cows are being killed in front of each other. According to PEA, this killing facility supplies companies such as HappyMeat, who claim it is an "ethical solution" for meat consumers.

Why are they killing babies?

Slaughtering baby cows sounds too cruel to most people; they are only babies, after all. However, killing baby calves is an essential part of dairy production, one that all dairy farms participate in.

This is because female cows, like all mammals, can only make milk after giving birth (to nurse their babies). Like humans or dogs, mother cows eventually stop producing milk and will only start to lactate again if they give birth once more.

Male calves are useless to dairy farms

Dairy farms, including small and family farms, must routinely get the cows pregnant so the milk continues flowing. To prevent the babies from nursing, they take them from their mothers shortly after birth. This is done so the babies don't drink the milk that the farms are interested in selling.

Half of the babies who are born on dairy farms are males. Sadly, the male calves are killed very young since they won't be able to produce milk, and letting them live for more than a few months is not profitable.

What can be done to help these baby cows?