Veal production raises calves born to dairy cows in conditions specifically designed to produce pale, tender meat, with welfare practices that have been heavily scrutinized and partially reformed.
Veal welfare reform is a case study in successful advocacy: targeted campaigns against calf crates achieved legislative bans in the EU and voluntary commitments in North America. Rose veal — calves raised in groups with outdoor access for longer periods — represents a welfare-positive alternative that addresses both the welfare of the calf and the fate of male dairy calves who would otherwise be killed at birth. Supporting rose veal over rejecting all veal can be a welfare-positive choice.