Livestock

Veal Welfare: White Veal, Rose Veal, and the Dairy Connection

Veal production uses male dairy calves who have no value in milk production; welfare standards vary enormously between white and rose veal.

Key Facts

White veal is produced by confining calves in crates with only milk diet to keep flesh pale
Veal crates are banned in the EU, UK, US, and Canada but still used elsewhere
Rose veal (UK) allows calves access to forage, light, and movement before slaughter
Male dairy calves are shot at birth in some countries as economically unviable
Approximately 700,000 male dairy calves are killed at birth annually in the UK alone

Welfare Considerations

White veal production deliberately induces anemia and restricts movement to produce pale, tender flesh. Calves in veal crates cannot turn around, cannot engage in social behavior, and are fed a restricted diet designed to cause nutritional deficiency. Rose veal represents a significant welfare improvement but still involves killing calves at 6-8 months. The welfare dimension of dairy production includes all male calves who are byproducts of milk.

What You Can Do

If consuming veal, choose rose veal over white veal as a higher-welfare option
Reduce dairy consumption to reduce the male calf byproduct problem
Advocate for mandatory calf welfare standards in dairy supply chains
Support dairy farms that allow calves to suckle mothers before weaning
Donate to organizations working on veal crate bans in remaining countries