A Mother's Plea by Emily Deschanel for Cows

[Piano music] Hi, I'm Emily Deschanel for PETA. As a mother, I experience the joy of raising my son, everyday. But, not all moms are so lucky. Like human mothers, cows carry their young for nine months, and have strong maternal instincts, and their calves would naturally consume their milk for almost a year. But, mother cows on dairy farms have their young traumatically torn away from them, shortly after birth, so that the milk meant for their calves can be sold to people instead. [Cows moo] On dairy farms, cows are repeatedly artificially inseminated, are kept almost constantly pregnant, and have calf after calf taken away from them. Dairy farmers genetically manipulate and often drug cows, forcing them to produce up to four and a half times the amount of milk they would naturally produce to feed their calves. Male calves are considered little more than a by-product, and most are either slaughtered for meat or shipped off to the horrific veal industry, where many spend their short lives in tiny crates, unable to even turn around. Female calves are destined for the same sad fate as their mothers. Cows also suffer horrific abuses on dairy farms. Many cows have holes punched through their ears and have their horns, or sensitive horn tissue, cut or burned off without any pain killers. [Burning sound, cow screams] Some farmers even remove parts of cow's tails with rubber bands or sharp knives. When their milk production declines, cows are sent to slaughter to be ground-up into hamburger. Cows natural lifespan is about 25 years, but cows used by the dairy industry are killed after only four or five years. Cow's milk was designed for baby cows, and consuming it increases human's risk of developing a number of health problems. For children, it's the number one cause of allergies and has also been linked to acne and even type-1 diabetes. Later in life, dairy consumption can contribute to the risk of developing breast, ovarian or prostate cancer. The best way to help cows abused by the dairy industry, and keep your family healthy, is to stock your fridge with delicious vegan foods. Dairy-free milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt are readily available at your local grocery or health-food store, and offer all the nutrition that you and your children need with none of the cholesterol or cruelty found in dairy products. Please join me in standing up for all mothers by refusing to support the cruel dairy industry.