Male dairy calves with limited value in dairy production systems are frequently sold into veal production under conditions that have improved with welfare legislation but still represent significant welfare challenges.
Veal production welfare has been shaped more by legislative change than market forces, with the EU ban on individual crates representing a significant welfare improvement. However, the transition to group housing does not eliminate all welfare concerns: white veal iron-restriction diets cause anemia that affects the calves comfort and behavior; early transport from dairy farms at very young ages creates welfare risks; and market systems often involve calves at extremely young ages being transported by handlers unprepared for their fragility. Rose veal production demonstrates that market-rate veal production is achievable with substantially better welfare, but consumer willingness to engage with the veal market at all is declining rather than shifting to higher welfare products.