Animal Equality Reveals Shocking Scenes of Neglect to Calves at US Dairy Farm that Supplies Laughing Cow and Babybel

RISING CITY, Neb., July 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- International animal protection organization Animal Equality today released shocking scenes  filmed last winter by an undercover investigator, revealing a pattern of neglect at Summit Calf Ranch (Nebraska), a facility housing 11,000 calves and owned by Tuls Dairy a supplier of Bel Brands, producer of Babybel.

Video - https://animalequality.org/action/babyhell  
Images - https://www.flickr.com/gp/animalequalityuk/N507L3

The undercover footage reveals the prolonged agony of dozens of calves, whose ages range from one up to 150 days old, freezing to death in temperatures that dropped to -12 F overnight. Repeated exposure to extreme temperatures resulted in frozen limbs, and the separation of the hoof from the leg of several calves.

Quotes from Animal Equality's anonymous undercover investigator include the following statement: "My supervisor asked me to feed the calf with the frozen feet. The hooves are now almost completely severed and you can see the bone. [He] mostly stays on the ground, but once or twice [he] tries to stand which causes the wounds to bleed."

Additional animal cruelty captured by Animal Equality includes:

• Workers shoving, jabbing and hitting calves with sorting sticks and hut rods as the manager's dog lunged and bit the backs of their legs
• Painful disbudding of calves using hot irons
• Calves dying of scours and pneumonia after being left outdoors in freezing temperatures
• Sick cows, left with dead cows, receiving no veterinary care
• Hernia repair, banding (castration) and other painful procedures without pain medication

"Our investigation into Summit Calf Ranch revealed a shocking lack of meaningful care provided to baby calves. We documented sick newborns surrounded by their already dead pen mates in an area referred to as the 'hospital' where they were left to suffer for days and in many cases finally die," said Sean Thomas, International Director of Investigations for Animal Equality.

Animal Equality urges Bel Brands to improve their animal welfare for cows and calves by adopting meaningful animal welfare standards. Concerned members of the public who would like to ditch dairy in favor of more compassionate plant-based products can learn more at https://loveveg.com.

Animal Equality is an international organization working with society, governments, and companies to end cruelty to farmed animals. Animal Equality has offices in the US, the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Mexico, Brazil, and India. The organization was awarded Top Charity status by independent assessors Animal Charity Evaluators. For more information visit https://animalequality.org.

All video and images are copyright Animal Equality

SOURCE Animal Equality

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