Animal Cruelty Issue - Essay Example

The pregnancy duration for a cow is the same as for humans, that is, nine months. Thus, giving birth every year is a very tedious job for a cow. Even after birth while the lactation is going on, insemination is done and cows are again made pregnant for the reason that they may be able to carry out producing milk and never stop. Moreover, now with the use of technological means, cows are made to produce milk much more than they can naturally. This keeps their bodies under constant stress and tension which can bring hazardous problems to their health. They are kept in “windowless sheds, wire cages, gestation crates, and other confinement systems” (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). Feeding them a high-energy diet, so that they can produce copious quantities of milk, causes “metabolic disorders including ketosis, which can be fatal, and laminitis, which causes lameness” (Factory Dairy Production). Mastitis, Bovine Leukemia Virus, and Johne’s disease are getting more commoner in cattle day by day. When the production of milk is greater than the quantity of calcium made in the cows’ bodies, it causes calcium deficiency.

Furthermore, these cows are also slaughtered for human consumption just after very few years of their lives when they can live longer in natural conditions. Newly born calves are also abused. Male calves are beaten and forcibly drawn toward slaughterhouses while female calves are supposed to replace the older cows. Male calves are slaughtered also for veal production for which purpose they are kept in very small cages where they are not even able to move or turn their heads or sit down. They are fed with milk substitute that does not contain iron content to make them anemic which will bring light color to the veal. It is important to state here that there is almost no legal protection or legislation that should save dairy cows from abusive acts inflicted upon their bodies. There is no law to stop their aggressive slaughter, their travel in all unsuitable weathers, and the selfish diet given to them. Nobody cares as long as they are getting milk and meat. It is all about maximizing production while minimizing input cost and effort. How shameful!

To sum up, animal cruelty in all cases, no matter what the reason, is a disgraceful act that should be taken seriously at all levels of humanity. Factory farming poses great threats to the welfare of animals. The European Union has also recognized that animals do feel pain and pleasure. They do undergo stress and distress. They can weep. So, dear audience, let’s join hands together to promise that we will work together to save these animals from cruelty and abuse. Animals who feed us need to be fed. They need to listen. Come and soothe them.