There are a lot of dairy cows in Britain — around 1.8 million to be precise. They couldn’t be more easily identifiable as 90 per cent of them stand out clearly in the countryside with their stark, black and white colouring. These Holstein-Friesian breeds originate from northern Holland and Germany, as their name suggests. There are other breeds, such as Jerseys and Guernseys whose experiences in the dairy industry are identical.
Despite their ubiquitous nature, there is extraordinary ignorance about these intelligent, highly-evolved animals as a recent Viva! survey revealed. Some 60 per cent of people are completely unaware that to produce milk a cow has first to be made pregnant and deliver a baby; and she has to do it every year, year after year. Therefore, we urge you to show this article to a friend, to a co-worker or a family member who drinks cow’s milk.