I have a serious question.

Question

Why doesn't vegan drink milk? Because the reason why people became vegan, in my opinion, is that they oppose killing animals...Do I misunderstand? If I become vegetarian, my reason will be opposition of animal sacrifice. Please tell me your reason why you became vegan.

Answer 1

That's a good question. This site explains the issues with dairy: http://www.chooseveg.com/dairy.asp

A major concern is the veal connection. Cows (like all mammals) need to give birth in order to produce milk. So the cows are repeatedly impregnated. The male calves that are born are useless to the dairy industry, because they're unable to produce milk. Farmers take the male calves away from their mothers and raise the calves for veal. It's said that there's (metaphorically) a hunk of veal in every glass of milk, since the milk and veal industries are closely connected.

Another issue: Most cows raised for dairy are slaughtered when they're only four or five years old. Farms don't "retire" animals who have stopped producing milk or eggs, since it would cost too much to care and feed for the animals until their natural deaths.

There are different types of vegetarian diets. Most people don't go vegan overnight. It was a gradual process for me as I learned more about animal cruelty in the egg and dairy industries. Good luck, if you do decide to go veg.

Answer 2

You misunderstand. Vegans don't use animal products at all because they are against the exploitation of the animals.

Answer 3

It depends on the vegan, but in general, vegans don't want to eat anything that came from an animal. Milk comes from animals.

Their motivations might be different, but one widespread belief is that it is wrong to exploit animals for food, be it their flesh or one of their byproducts. Typically, vegans are concerned with the quality of life for animals, not just whether or not they live or die.  

Answer 4

Not contributing to the slaughter of animals sounds like a good reason to me...=)

Answer 5

Because the way milk is typically taken from cows is, at least in my opinion, nearly as cruel as killing animals for meat.

Cows do not naturally give milk- they're just like people, and they need to give birth to lactate. To keep the milk flowing, cows are forcibly inseminated and pumped with hormones that causes them to give 10x or more the amount of mink they would naturally.

Also, I don't drink milk because of how closely it is related to the veal industry. Only female cows give milk (duh), so their male offspring are often sent off to be veal. I find it funny how many vegetarians go on and on about how cruel veal is, but they still drink milk! "Spent" cows are sent to become beef, as well.

Answer 6

its more then just killing. there is no reason to depend on animals in such a way.  

Answer 7

I recentley became vegan because i thought being a vegatarian was a bit hypocritical. To give milk the animals have to be constantly pregnatn and when they give birth to a male cow he is SLAGHTERED for veal so your are still funding the meat industry. Its the same with eggs all the male chickens are SLAUGHTERED not even for meat their just tossed into industrial sized blenerders and then dumped. Animals are dying everyday in the milk and egg insdustrys so thats why I became vegan!

Good Luck! :)

Answer 8

vegans oppose any kind of cruelty to, or exploitation of animals.

vegetarians simply oppose the killing of animals.  it doesn't necessarily mean vegetarians are OK with cruelty to animals, but they may not know what goes on in milk and egg production.

besides, dairy cows and layer hens are killed anyway, after they're spent.

Answer 9

Just answering your main question...Why doesn't vegan drink milk?

There are obvious health benefits to avoiding that stuff as well. Milk is for babies, and cow milk is for baby cows. Human milk and cow milk are biologically very different in terms of nutrients or protein or calcium or fat or whatever. If you're a baby cow, go ahead and drink milk until you're no longer a baby. If you're not... well, you get the best milk from the women. I think without arguing the "Code of Ethics" you would agree this point of mement.

Furthermore, there are several different, in my opinion, very good reasons. One obvious one is for consistency. The goal of veganism is to avoid the use/consumption of animal products. For consistency, especially when keeping in mind things like "living by example" and that annoying cousin who is always looking for a hole in your argument, it makes sense to avoid that stuff entirely.

That to me is less important than the whole point of veganism. Veganism seeks to avoid (ab)use of non-human animals of any form, recognizing that all animals have senses, feelings, nervous systems, etc., and that they are as against being killed, hit, struck, abused, or used as any of us reading this are. So, I see no reasonable "excuse" to eat, drink, wear or use animal product unless that animal has voluntarily submitted itself to the conditions under which she produced the egg / milk / product and also volunteered to give said product to a human (instead of keeping it and sitting on it [eggs] or giving it to a child [milk]). The same goes for honey and beeswax and any dairy product under the sun.

Using animal products in any way reinforces the whole concept of human domination and dominion over non-humans, and is, in my opinion, the equivalent of slavery or involuntary servitude. It is also interesting (is it just chance?) that the milk / eggs industry also reinforce the notion of domination over females.

Answer 10

I used to think the same thing. But because to produce milk, the mother cow needs to have a baby calf. Then when she does, the calf is torn apart and they both suffer, and the calf gets slaughtered or sold. Basically thats is like drinking stress

Answer 11

not all vegetarians are vegetarian because of animal cruekty, but health and religious reasons.

vegans don't drink milk [the one's who oppose animal cruelty] is because cows make milk for their calf, just like mothers do for their children and cows are abused and mistreated for milking production purposed

Answer 12

1. Cows are given hormones and high-production feed to increase milk production. Cows are meant to graze.

2. When milk production declines, the cows are slaughtered for beef normally around the age of 6 years, one fourth the natural life span. The old dairy cows are basically slaughtered to produce ground beef.

3. The calves are separated from their mother soon after birth. Normally, they suckle for one year.

Young calves are slaughtered for veal, harvest Rennet from the fourth lining of the stomach to makes cheese.

Some are slaughtered just to make pet food.

4. Many cows are milked by machines causing infections and mastitis. The FDA allows a given amount of blood and pus in the milk.

Answer 13

when you eat dairy you are giving money to dairy cow farms where once the baby cow is born it is sold as veal and then eaten. dairy cows are not treated fairly, they are treated as machines are.

vegans oppose any animal exploitation