A guardian angel for the calves Dani, Davide, Giulia & Romeo
Milk has been used as food for humans for thousands of years – and it is still indispensable for many people today. Milk is actually a good thing, as it feeds the offspring of mammals and, of course, cows also suckle their calves. But was today’s consumer-orientated dairy industry also intended by nature?
The consumption-orientated production of milk also brings problems
The simple carton of milk in the chiller cabinet is often accompanied by many problems in the background in terms of climate protection and, of course, animal welfare. Because what many people forget: For cows to give milk, they have to give birth to a calf every year. After birth, the little calves are usually separated from their mothers immediately. They spend the first few days of their lives alone in calf igloos. Many walkers are familiar with the sad looks on the faces of these calves from their excursions past dairy farms, where they stand alone in their igloos. Although this isolation is intended to prevent the calves from being exposed to germs, the heartbreaking looks on the little ones’ faces will never leave you.
The looks of the calves
Daniela Brunner is no exception. The great animal lover runs her own vegan fashion label in Munich, “Giulia & Romeo”. Simply passing by the calves was out of the question for her. For years, she has donated all the proceeds from her fashion brand to animal welfare organisations. She fell in love with the calves at first sight and visits them again and again in their igloos. The calves grew close to her heart and she named them after her children Davide, Giulia & Romeo. A fourth calf is given the name Dani.
The hard lot of dairy cows
But the calf igloos are just the beginning of a long and often sad journey that most cows go through in our consumer-driven dairy industry.
Most female calves like Giulia and Dani are reared on dairy farms to continue their mothers’ lives. The high milk yield that is genetically demanded of them takes its toll. Dependent on concentrated feed, they spend most of their lives in the barn. After a few years, their bodies are exhausted and weakened. They are then often sold for slaughter, emaciated and worthless. High-yield dairy cows only reach an average of 4.5 years, whereas their natural life expectancy is a good 25 to 30 years.
What to do with the bull calves?Look instead of looking away
Daniela Brunner could not accept this fate. She stood up for the calves and negotiated with the farmer. Every day she came to encourage her protégés, because she knew that there would be a ray of hope in the end: the promise that all four calves could come to Gut Aiderbichl!
Dani, Davide, Giulia & Romeo have now moved in to Gut Aiderbichl in Iffeldorf. They are four lucky calves. But many others don’t have a guardian angel like Daniela, who is so actively committed to them. At Gut Aiderbichl, we publish animal stories like this to make people think. Because, hand on heart, who has ever thought about what can be behind a glass of milk?
Fortunately, there are already many plant-based alternatives to conventional cow’s milk. What applies to all foods, however, is the need to develop an awareness of their value and origin and to use them sparingly. Each of us can make an important contribution through mindful consumption – for the animals, for the environment and for ourselves.
