Comment by a non-vegan: "For centuries in India we have used ghee and butter, no sweet can be made without it. When we were growing up cows and their babies were part of the family we used to play and have conversation and compassion for them. Hope in India it is still authentic."
My response:
I have seen pictures of dairy farms in our Holy city of Benaras. The new born male calf is tied far away from its mom, so that it can not drink mom's milk. A few days later the calf is seen half dead and fainted from hunger and heat.
Once near to death, these Hindu dairy farmers sell them to people whose religion does not prohibit chopping cows and their calves. In turn the Hindu dairy owners accept the money that they get by selling these calves.
Male calves are killed because they cant produce baby calves nor can they give milk. They are not needed to plough fields, as tractors can do the same job in less time at a cheeper price. These babies are an unwanted by product of the dairy industry.
There are other pictures again from the holy city. Where the dairy farmer is shown having 500-1000 cows and just 1-2 bulls locked behind closed bars - jail style. In his interview he explains, that he takes good care of his bulls.
Sorry to mention this, but just imagine something like this happening with humans! The scene or situation is beyond imagination.
I keep mentioning Banaras, since who could imagine anything bad being done in that city. Lets talk about Bengal. Mahatma Gandhi ji has clearly written in autobiography - why did he leave cows milk. More than a 100 years ago from now, he witnessed, dairy farmers lifting the cow's tail and blowing hard. This caused immense pain to the cow, yet it also produced more milk. Not sure what unimaginable things are being done today.
Oh and once the cows are unable to give any milk and produce babies, they are transported to slaughter houses under inhumane conditions. To give an example, fit 12 people in a Maruti 800 with no AC! By the time they reach the slaughter houses, they are dehydrated, bleeding, have not been able to sit for more than 12 hours at a stretch (since they is no space to move) and are sick already.
You would have heard newer and never techniques used by Mayavati in UP in the newly opened slaughter houses. Cows and Buffaloes are tricked into thinking they see another cow or buffalo ahead of them and keep walking. Once inside the trap / cage, the door is locked from behind and as they extend their neck to come closer to the cow in front of them, its too late for them to realize that its just a mirror. The knife has already cut their necks by now.
The crazy demand for paneer in samosas and dosas and no have to guest leave the home with out a paneer butter masala. Today's generation having endless pizzas. This crazy demand is driving increased milk production. Each kilo of paneer, cheese, butter needs 10-20 kilos of milk.
Since the cows and buffalos are producing milk at unseen rates, there is an excess of useless bodies. What better to the dairy farmer, if even these dead bodies can fetch them some money. India is the largest beef exporter in the world and its production in tones is increasing each year!
How can I - just one person, put an end to this. by stop having dairy. But telling all my friends to cook me potatoes instead of paneer, almond milk instead of dairy milk, kadhi made from cashew milk. (there are articles on the net comparing the cost of kaDhi made from cows milk v/s cashew milk) and that the cashew milk Kadhi comes out to be cheeper!
