Calves kept in this manner are unhappy and unhealthy
animals.Despitethefactthatthevealproducerselectsonly
the strongest, healthiest calves to begin with, uses a
medicated feed asa routinemeasure, and gives additional
injectionsattheslightestsignofillness,digestive,respiratory,
and infectiousdiseases arewidespread.It iscommonfora
vealproducertofindthatoneintenofabatchofcalvesdo
notsurvivethefifteenweeksofconfinement.Between 10 and
15 percent mortality over such a short period would be
disastrous for anyone raising calves for beef, but veal
producers can tolerate this loss because the high-priced
restaurants are prepared to pay well for their products.
Given the cozy relationship that normally exists between
veterinarians working with farm animals and intensive
producers(itis,afterall,theowners,not theanimals,who
pay the bills), it gives us some indication of the extreme
conditionsunderwhichvealcalvesarekepttolearnthatthis
isoneaspectofanimalproductionthathasstrainedrelations
between veterinariansand producers. A 1982 issue of The
Vealerreports:
Besideswaitingtoolongtocallveterinariansforareallysick
calf,vetsdonotlook favorable[sic]onrelationswith veal
growersbecausetheyhavelongdefiedacceptedagricultural
methods.Thefeedingoflong hay tolivestock, in orderto
maintain a proper digestive system, hasbeen considereda
sound practice for years.^104
Theonebrightspotinthis sorrytale isthattheconditions
createdbythevealcratesaresoappallingforanimalwelfare
thatBritishgovernment regulationsnowrequire thata calf
mustbeabletoturnaroundwithoutdifficulty,mustbefeda