Male dairy calves are a byproduct of milk production with limited commercial value, leading to welfare problems at birth and during rearing.
The killing of dairy calves at birth represents a welfare failure at the systemic level — animals capable of suffering are destroyed as a byproduct of dairy production economics. Calves transported to veal units within days of birth face multiple stressors including separation, novel environment, and disease exposure. Rose veal provides better welfare outcomes than export for white veal, but both begin with the same distressing separation of cow and calf.