The 62-second ad comes from animal rights charity Viva!. It opens with a human mother lovingly tucking her newborn baby into bed. As she switches off the light, a sinister ghoul-like figure appears in the dark and snatches the baby away. After the woman cries out and asks what he’s done with the baby, the ghoul replies: “You can’t keep your baby because we want your milk.” At this point, the scene shifts, showing real-life footage of dairy farms in the UK. A calf is shown looking confused and helpless after being separated from his mother, only to be killed due to being surplus to requirements in the industry. 

Viva! created the ad to raise awareness of the reality of dairy farming, where mother cows are forcibly impregnated and have their babies taken away after birth. Like humans, cows form powerful bonds with their babies, and they often bellow and cry out for days after they’re gone. 

“This advert delivers a message many people don’t want to face: the dairy industry profits from the suffering of mothers and their babies,” said Viva! founder Juliet Gellatley in a statement. “Every glass of milk or slice of cheese comes at the cost of a bond as profound as any human mother’s love for her child. The reality is dark, violent and deeply distressing – but it’s hidden in plain sight.”

Read more: Investigation Finds Dead Cows ‘Eaten To The Bone’ At Red Tractor Dairy Farm

The importance of cinema advertising

According to Viva!, cinema is one of the most “impactful storytelling platforms” due to the increased levels of emotional response shown by audiences. The charity cited a study that found that 87 percent of people remember cinema ads weeks after seeing them. 

In order to bring the advert to as many viewers as possible, Viva! is crowdfunding to raise costs. You can visit the fundraising page here. 

It has not yet been confirmed in which cinemas the ad will be shown, but Viva! told Plant Based News that it will begin airing in the spring. 

Read more: Investigation Warns Of Factory Farming’s ‘Silent Takeover’ In UK Dairy

This article was written by Polly Foreman on the PBN Website.

Read more: 10-Minute Vegan Chickpea Cookie Dough

Not everyone realizes that Biscoff biscuits and spread are accidentally vegan, making them a great choice for plant-based desserts. Their caramelized, slightly spiced flavor works beautifully in this cheesecake, adding a festive touch that’s perfect for holiday gatherings. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, contributing to a potluck, or just doing some holiday baking, this dessert is sure to impress.

Scroll down for the recipe:

Read more: Easy Vegan Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Easy no-bake cheesecake

You won't believe how easy this cheesecake is to make and yet so divine. Golden lotus biscuits with a fluffy, creamy center topped with a Biscoff drizzle… well, we don't need to say anything else…

No ratings yet

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Servings10

Ingredients

Base

• 400 g Lotus Biscoff biscuits
• 150 g vegan butter

Filling

• 200 g vegan double/whippable cream
• 450 g vegan plain cream cheese
• 250 g Lotus Biscoff spread
• 100 g icing sugar, sieved
• 3 tbsp (heaped) odorless/culinary coconut oil, melted (buy online, in health food shops, and Ocado. You can use regular coconut oil but we recommend using odorless to avoid the coconutty flavor)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste
• 1/2 tsp salt

Topping

• 150 g Lotus Biscoff spread
• 50 g Lotus Biscoff biscuits

Instructions

Base

• Line a spring-form cake tin (approx. 20cm diameter and 7cm deep) with greaseproof paper.
• Blend the Lotus Biscoff biscuits until fine or wrap in a clean tea towel and bash with a rolling pin until smooth.
• Gently melt the vegan butter in a small saucepan on a low heat until fully dissolved. Combine thoroughly with the blended biscuits in a large mixing bowl.
• Transfer the mixture into the lined cake tin and evenly distribute along the bottom and up the sides, packing firmly with the back of a spoon or with your hands. Place in the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Filling

• Whip the vegan double cream until stiff peaks form and then place in the fridge.
• Using a food processor or high-speed blender, thoroughly blend the vegan plain cream cheese, Lotus Biscoff spread, icing sugar, melted coconut oil, vanilla extract and salt until smooth.
• Gently stir through the whipped vegan double cream until combined (don’t overstir).
• Pour the filling onto the base and then refrigerate overnight.

Topping/assembly

• Once the cheesecake has chilled, place the Lotus Biscoff spread into a small saucepan and very gently heat on low until melted. If the spread gets too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of odourless coconut oil. Leave to cool then evenly pour over the top of the cheesecake.
• Crush the Lotus Biscoff biscuits and sprinkle over the top of the cake as you like.
• Serve immediately or return to the fridge.

This recipe was republished with permission from Viva!’s new A Very Vegan Christmas Mini Cookbook  – The Ultimate Guide to a Magical Festive Feast!, Make this Christmas a celebration of flavour, kindness and creativity with A Very Vegan Christmas. Order your copy from the Viva! shop get ready to create the ultimate plant-based holiday feast.

Read more: Vegan Chocoflan (Caramel Custard Chocolate Cake)

This article was written by Viva's Vegan Recipe Club on the PBN Website.

Read more: New ‘Ultra-Processed’ Guide Answers All Your Questions On UPFs

In the guide, titled Fake News About Fake Meat, the vegan charity highlights the many benefits of alternative proteins, the risks associated with animal-derived meat, and information about ultra-processed foods (UPFs).

The meat industry has been consistently critical of meat and dairy alternatives for being overly processed, but a range of recent reports, studies, and analyses indicate that plant-based alternatives are generally better – for human health, the environment, and animals.

Viva!’s guide notes that common animal foods such as bacon, ham, sausages, hot dogs, and salami can also be considered UPFs. Furthermore, these products are listed as Group 1 carcinogens by the World Health Organization (WHO) and are proven to cause cancer.

“There are basic scientific facts that critics of mock meat ignore in their quest to keep you eating animal meat,” says the new guide. “Even low levels of consumption of meat are linked to obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer – the UK’s biggest killers.”

Read more: ‘What Food History Tells Us About Living Longer’

Viva!’s ‘mission to make veganism accessible to all’

Viva!’s new guide also includes a nutritional breakdown of some common plant-based and animal-based products. While the nutrient density of meat alternatives is variable, some common products – such as Linda McCartney Quarter Pounders – are higher in protein than their traditional competitors. Others have similar protein but less salt, fat, and calories.

In November, Viva! introduced a comprehensive range of sports nutrition resources along with a high-protein meal plan, produced in collaboration with Vegan Strong PlantBuilt. Faye Lewis, Viva!’s head of communications, described the partnership as perfectly aligned with the charity’s “mission to make veganism accessible to all.”

Read more: Scientists Discover ‘Critical Link’ Between Red Meat And Colorectal Cancer Risk

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

Read more: Vegan Athlete Takes Double Gold At World Arm Wrestling Championships

Viva!, a UK-based animal rights charity and campaign group, created the “v7 High-Protein Meal Plan” in collaboration with Vegan Strong PlantBuilt, a collective of elite plant-based strength athletes. It features a full week of “energizing” vegan recipes, including an all-day breakfast burrito, sticky gochujang tofu bowl, and even a “DIY” Pot Noodle.

“You will find everything you need to know about how to build muscle and be healthy on a plant-based diet,” said Vegan Strong PlantBuilt Team Founder Giacomo Marchese. “For a comprehensive assortment of high protein, nutrient-dense recipes, and meal plans, look no further to get the assistance you need to be at your best as a high-achieving athlete.”

Viva! and PlantBuilt have also published a new sports and fitness guide called “No Compromise,” a YouTube series titled “Sports & Fitness FAQ,” and other useful information about fueling, stamina, and recovery while eating a plant-based diet.

Read more: Three-Quarters Of UK Dietitians Falsely Believe Plant Proteins Are Incomplete, Study Finds

Viva! mission ‘to make veganism accessible to all’

Vegan Strong PlantBuilt was established more than a decade ago by Marchese to promote the plant-based lifestyle through diverse strength-based competitive sports like CrossFit, powerlifting, and Olympic weightlifting. An increasing number of athletes of all kinds are embracing veganism for performance and recovery, and the team has had several recent, high-profile victories.

This collaboration with Viva! comes shortly after the Vegan Strong PlantBuilt team took home 55 medals – including 48 gold – at the Mr. America 2024 Sports Festival in October.

“We are incredibly excited to continue working with the team,” said Faye Lewis, Viva!’s head of communications. “Their success demonstrates the extraordinary benefits of a vegan diet for athletes and fitness lovers alike. This partnership aligns perfectly with Viva!’s mission to make veganism accessible to all.”

Read more: 25 High Protein Vegan Recipes

This article was written by Liam Pritchett on the PBN Website.

Read more: A Vegan Ad Was Banned For Causing ‘Unnecessary Distress’ – Now It’s Been Seen By Millions

The ceremony took place on a river cruise hosted by animal advocacy charity Viva!. Held on the Elizabethan boat on the River Thames, the event was to celebrate the organization’s 30th anniversary. 

Around 130 animal advocates, celebrities, and Viva! supporters attended the event. Guests included vegan entrepreneur Heather Mills, actor Peter Egan, and rewilding expert Randall Plunkett. Attendees were served a “Secret Garden” themed bespoke concept menu from Michelin-trained vegan chef Liam Penn, known for his elaborate fine dining tasting menus. As well as the awards ceremony, a raffle and auction took place to raise funds for Viva!. 

“Viva!’s 30th anniversary fundraising dinner was a truly spectacular evening filled with celebration, compassion and solidarity for animals,” said Juliet Gellatley, founder and director of Viva!. “The event was a joyous reflection on three decades of tireless activism and the remarkable progress we’ve made together. The funds raised will power our vital campaigns and continue Viva!’s mission to create a kinder world for all animals. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve achieved and I’m deeply grateful to everyone who made this night unforgettable.” 

Read more: Heather Mills Tells UN Officials To ‘Eat Vegan’ If They Care About The Planet

About Viva!

Viva! is a UK-based animal rights charity that focuses on promoting veganism, campaigning against animal exploitation, and raising awareness of the ethical, health, and environmental and issues associated with animal agriculture. 

Founded in 1994 by Gellatley, Viva! runs campaigns, investigations, and educational programs to advocate for a cruelty-free lifestyle and support people in transitioning to plant-based diets.

Read more: Heather Mills Acquires Vegan Online Supermarket ‘Alternative Stores’

This article was written by Editorial Team on the PBN Website.

A new investigation at a Red Tractor-approved UK dairy farm has uncovered a series of “horrific” abuses. 

Animal rights charity Viva! visited Tafarn Y Bugail, a farm housing 500 “dairy cows” in west Wales, on several occasions between February and June of this year. Investigators uncovered “extreme” rough handling, dead animals left outside, calves being taken from their mothers less than 12 hours after birth and left in cold pens, and more.

At the time of filming, the farm supplied First Milk, which provides dairy products for a number of well-known brands across Britain. First Milk severed ties with Tafarn Y Bugail on October 31, however, and the farm is now being investigated by local authorities. 

The farm

Investigators filmed a total of 240 hours of footage at Tafarn Y Bugail. According to Viva!, the film shows that cows were repeatedly hit by workers during milking. In one attack that the organization described as “particularly harrowing,” a cow was hit more than 55 times in seven minutes. 

Footage shows cows being pushed, shoved, and kicked in their udders. Two cows also had their tails twisted. One calf was pulled out of their mother with a rope while being born. 

Many of the cows were also suffering from lameness. Lameness refers to an inability to use limbs. It’s thought that around 30 percent of the UK’s dairy cows suffer from the condition, which they develop due to injury, ineffective hoof trimming, infectious disease, or – most commonly – being forced to stand on hard surfaces for extended periods of time while being milked. According Viva!, Tafarn Y Bugail had more cows suffering from lameness than a typical farm. 

At least 17 of the cows were wearing “hobbles,” which are like handcuffs or shackles. They are routinely used to tie dairy cows’ legs together to prevent them from doing the splits. One cow was so lame that she walked on three legs. 

Dead cows left outside

Investigators found that dead cows were dumped outside where birds and other wildlife could feed on them. According to Viva!, this is a “blatant violation” of government guidance. 

The UK’s Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) states that animals who die on farms should be “collected, identified and transported from [the] farm without ‘undue delay’” and that farm workers must “ensure that animals and birds cannot access the carcass.” This is a public health issue, as wild animals who eat corpses could spread zoonotic diseases. 

Investigators witnessed a dead calf being eaten by wild animals inside a calving shed. They said that the scene “looked like something out of a horror film,” and that the dead calf had been eaten down to the bone. The carcass was left in a barn with pregnant cows and another newly born calf for 48 hours. 

Babies taken from mothers

It is common practice for calves to be taken from their mothers just a few hours after birth in the UK, and Tafarn Y Bugail was no different. They were separated within 12 hours after being born, and many calves were put in pens and subjected to extreme temperatures. One calf, who was still wet from birth, was visibly shaking in the winter cold. She was also barely able to stand. 

While findings at the farm may be shocking to some, they are not unusual. There are around 1.85 million cows used in the dairy industry each year. Dairy farming is rife with abuse, and multiple investigations have uncovered similar cruelty in the increasingly intensive UK dairy industry.

“Sadly, this farm is no different to thousands of other dairy farms in which cows are treated as disposable commodities, exploited for their milk and discarded like trash,” Lex Rigby, head of investigations at Viva!, told Plant Based News (PBN). “It’s not just one bad apple; this type of mistreatment takes place every day on farms all over the UK and abroad. Don’t support animal abuse, ditch dairy and go vegan.”

The problem with Red Tractor

Red Tractor is a so-called “assurance label” used in the UK. It claims to show that a product comes from a farm with a set of “rigorous standards” and that animals have been “well cared for.”

According to Viva!, Red Tractor stated that there is “nothing to suggest a systematic issue” at Tafarn Y Bugail. “Once again Red Tractor can’t see the forest for the trees,” Rigby told PBN. “Maybe we missed the part of their ‘rigorous animal welfare standards’ that deem violent assaults perfectly acceptable livestock husbandry practice. This is not high welfare, it’s corporate cruelty on a mass scale.”

Tafarn Y Bugail is just the latest in a long time of Red Tractor farms where animal cruelty has been documented. 

In March of this year, Animal Justice Project unveiled footage from a Red Tractor-certified pig “mega farm” that investigators described as among “the worst” conditions they’d seen. In January, people protested across Costa branches all over the country after a Viva! exposé of a Red Tractor dairy farm supplying it. 

More like this:

• Person Shouting ‘Help’ Was Actually A Dairy Goat Crying Out For Her Babies
• Agricultural Students Arrested Following ‘Disturbing’ Sheep Attack
• ‘Britain’s Loneliest Sheep’: Everything You Need To Know About Fiona’s Story

This article was written by Polly Foreman on the PBN Website.

The parody ad comes from UK-based animal advocacy organization Viva!. Dubbed New From Killer Yoghurts, the advert depicts a woman eating fake offal and blood from a corner-style yogurt packet. 

Throughout the ad, which was shown on Facebook and Instagram, a voiceover states: “New from Killer Yoghurts – the umbilical cord flavor. Produced with only the finest ingredients, the stolen milk of grieving mothers. Taste the torment in every mouthful. Blended with brutality. Be complicit, with Killer Yoghurts.”

The ad goes on to show footage from Viva!’s recent zero grazing investigation, which exposed the rise of dairy factory farming in the UK. It explains that cows have their babies stolen from them hours after birth so that humans can take their milk. 

The ASA bans the ad

According to Viva!, the ad was seen by more than three and a half million people, but was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority despite receiving just seven complaints. It was banned for two reasons. Firstly, that it was likely to cause unnecessary distress and serious and widespread offence. Secondly, that it was irresponsibly targeted because it had been seen by children. Viva! denies both of these claims. It also claims that it paid for the advert to be shown to an 18+ audience. 

“Adverts for meat and dairy products that falsely show farmed animals living in idyll are allowed to be shown despite them portraying staggeringly fake realities,” Viva! Founder Juliet Gellatley said in a statement. “People see far more shocking images on TV, films and computer games all the time – in today’s world our ad is not deeply distressing!”

The advert ban has received extensive media coverage from major mainstream media organizations, meaning it will likely have been seen by many more people than intended. “The irony of our killer ad being banned is that global media are now showing it,” Gellatley wrote on LinkedIn. “There’s a link in the biggest online paper in the world to the banned video! It’s literally gone worldwide.”

Dairy farming in the UK

In the UK, dairy farming often has an idyllic image, with advertisements and storybooks often portraying friendly farmers looking after cows in fields. The reality, however, is very different to what many may expect. 

There are thought to be just under two million “dairy cows” in the UK. In order to produce milk, each cow must first give birth. Their calf will be taken from them within just a few hours after being born, and cows will often bellow and cry out for them for days afterwards. If the calf is female, they will likely be raised for dairy. If they are male, they may be killed or sold to the veal industry. Cows have been selectively bred to produce far more milk than they naturally would, which takes a huge toll on their bodies. Conditions like lameness and mastitis are common on dairy farms. When they stop producing enough milk, cows will be sent to the slaughterhouse. 

While most cows raised for dairy are allowed to graze some of the time, intensive “zero-grazing” systems are on the rise in the UK. Earlier this year, Viva! released an investigation of these farms, stating that around 20 percent of dairy cows are raised in them. Animals raised on these systems are never allowed outside, and they are also at increased risk of illness and infection. 

“For the first time ever, the British dairy industry’s secret shift towards zero grazing is out in the open,” Gellatley, told Plant Based News (PBN) at the time. “Viva!’s latest exposé uncovers the harsh conditions on zero-grazing dairy farms supplying giants like Müller and Arla, where dairy mothers will never roam freely in nature as they evolved to do; instead, they are bored out of their minds and waste away inside the four walls of their iron prison.”

More like this:

• Vegan Advert That Attracted Hundreds Of Complaints Could Return To TV
• Billboard Campaign Compares Slaughterhouse Stats With Lives Lost In WW2
• Controversial London Billboards Of A Woman Being ‘Milked’ Take Aim At Speciesism

This article was written by Polly Foreman on the PBN Website.

Takeaway the Meat, which comes from animal advocacy organization Viva!, first hit screens in February 2022. It depicts a couple, who are snuggled on the sofa with their dog, ordering a pulled “pork” takeaway. When the doorbell rings, they are confronted by a delivery person bringing them a live piglet and a cleaver.

The ad was praised for its messaging and aim to encourage viewers to make the connection between animals and the food on their plates. It won two awards at the 2022 Drum Roses Awards for Marketing, and Viva! stated that it was “inundated” with messages from people saying the advert made them go vegan. 

Viva! is now crowdfunding to bring the advert back to TV screens where, according to the charity, it will be seen by up to 18 million Brits. Viva! is aiming to raise £40,000, which an anonymous donor will double to £80,000. At the time of writing, the campaign has brought in nearly £20,000.

“Britain frequently describes itself as a nation of animal lovers, from the dogs and cats we live with, to the birds and other wildlife we watch for outdoors,” Viva!’s founder and director Juliet Gellatley said in a statement.

“But to be a truly compassionate country, we must stop eating animals. Takeaway the Meat highlights the hypocritical nature of loving one animal while eating another but provides an easy solution: try vegan!” 

Vegan advert sparks controversy

Despite the fact that the advert provides an accurate depiction of where “pork” comes from, many Brits rushed to complain about its message. In fact, it became the second-most complained about advert of 2022.

It was accused of being “offensive,” “distressing,” as well as “vilifying meat eaters.” Some social media comments referred to the ad as vegan and “vegetarian terrorist propaganda.”

Some viewers praised the ad, however, with one writing: “Woahhhh did anybody else just see the vegan Viva advert?! Amazing work guys getting that out! Wow really powerful.”

Channel 4, on which the advert appeared, said at the time: “We believe it’s up to our viewers to make their own judgment about the adverts they see across Channel 4’s platforms. 

“All adverts that appear on our channels are cleared against the relevant regulatory codes by Clearcast prior to transmission.”

The pig flesh industry

Pigs like those seen in the advert suffer tremendously for “pork” products. Mother pigs (also known as sows) are often housed in farrowing crates for up to six weeks after giving birth, which don’t allow her any room to turn around. Her piglets nurse from a small area next to her known as “the creep,” but the sow cannot access her children. Piglets will also have their tails docked and teeth clipped without pain relief. This is to stop them injuring each other due to their stressful environment. 

At the slaughterhouse, around 86 percent of UK pigs will be gassed to death with a high concentration of carbon dioxide. This gas is highly aversive, and forms an acid on wet surfaces it touches (like the pigs’ eyes, throat, and lungs). Experts have stated that this means they burn from the inside out.

The pigs who aren’t gassed will in theory be stunned before having their throats cut. Stunning pigs is complicated, however, and improper stunning is rife. Many animals will still be alive when they have their throats cut, and some will be conscious when put into scalding tanks of extremely hot water.

Those interested can visit Viva!’s crowdfunding campaign here

More like this:

• 1 In 4 Brits Willing To Go ‘More Vegan’ After Learning About Dairy Farming
• New Investigation Warns Of Factory Farming’s ‘Silent Takeover’ In UK Dairy
• ‘Listen To Their Screams’: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Star Narrates Video On Pig Gassing

This article was written by Polly Foreman on the PBN Website.

The research, commissioned by Viva!, is part of the animal rights organization’s “Müller Killer” anti-dairy campaign. It was launched in response to a recent investigation exposing the rise of intensive dairy farming in the UK.  

It’s thought that around 20 percent of UK “dairy cows” are farmed in “zero-grazing” systems, spending their entire lives inside. They are grain fed and confined in large sheds, rather than pasture. Such farms reportedly supply major dairy companies, including Müller and Arla. 

Survey findings

A poll of 2,000 UK adults found that just three in 10 were unaware of zero-grazing cow farms. After they were made aware of it, 69 percent expressed that they were against the system.

Almost half (49 percent) of respondents said that they would be unlikely to buy a dairy product created from this process. Most (56 percent) said it should be banned completely, while 87 percent believed cows deserved a nice life.

A minority of people (41 percent) knew that cows had to get pregnant and give birth to a calf in order to produce milk. Even less (27 percent) were aware that calves were taken from their mothers after birth to be killed or kept in isolation.

Once made aware of the reality of dairy, 24 percent said they’d be willing to go more vegan. The most likely age group to say this was 25-34-year-olds, with 45 percent responding as such.

“The dairy industry does an excellent job of hiding its dirty secrets, so it’s no surprise that the public believes their clever marketing campaigns,” a Viva! spokesperson told Plant Based News. “Viva! encourages anyone who is shocked to learn about the cruelty of the dairy industry to try vegan today.”

The reality of dairy

Viva! investigators visited three of England’s largest dairy farms – and one calf-rearing facility – between 2021 and 2022. These were Pawton Manor in Cornwall, Newburgh Dairy in Dorset, and Lea Manor and Grange Farm in Cheshire.

In evidence the organization described as “damning,” cows were housed in “barren cubicle-style sheds.” The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states that zero-grazing systems leave cows at increased risk of “hoof problems, teat tramp, mastitis, metritis, dystocia, ketosis, retained placenta, and some bacterial infections.” 

It’s worth noting that even cows kept in grazing systems still likely experience a great deal of pain and suffering in their lives. Farmers make them pregnant with artificial insemination, and take their calves from them hours after birth. Lameness and mastitis are common in dairy cows, and they are sent to the slaughterhouse when their milk supply decreases.

This article was written by Polly Foreman on the PBN Website.

Zero grazing denotes intensive “livestock” farms that keep animals locked inside at all times. The factory farm-style facilities tend to be huge, and house cows in “barren cubicle-style sheds.”

Animal rights organization Viva! was handed what it described as “damning” evidence into the growing industry. It claims that such farms are supplying the UK’s biggest dairy companies, including Arla and Müller.

Investigators visited three of England’s largest dairy farms, as well as one calf-rearing facility, between 2021 and 2022. These were Newburgh Dairy in Dorset, Pawton Manor in Cornwall, and Lea Manor and Grange Farm in Cheshire.

The problems with zero grazing

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) states that zero-grazing systems leave cows at increased risk of “hoof problems, teat tramp, mastitis, metritis, dystocia, ketosis, retained placenta, and some bacterial infections.” This means that dairy cows, who are already at risk in traditional grazing farms, are more likely to suffer in indoor systems. 

Calves in the dairy industry are generally taken from their mothers soon after birth and put into isolated pens. Investigators filmed around 500 of these hutches at Pawton Manor. Calves were also fed milk replacer with a robotic machine, and some were also left without water overnight.

“For the first time ever, the British dairy industry’s secret shift towards zero grazing is out in the open,” Juliet Gellatley, founder and director of Viva!, told Plant Based News (PBN).

“Viva!’s latest exposé uncovers the harsh conditions on zero-grazing dairy farms supplying giants like Müller and Arla, where dairy mothers will never roam freely in nature as they evolved to do; instead, they are bored out of their minds and waste away inside the four walls of their iron prison.”

The rise of zero grazing

Unlike pigs and chickens, cows aren’t traditionally associated with factory farming. In the UK, they have sometimes been allowed onto pasture for parts of their lives. As such, many of the public have a romanticized vision of dairy.

According to Viva!, zero-grazing systems now account for around 20 percent of the UK dairy industry. Its growth in popularity has been attributed to milk producers prioritizing profit over welfare. 

While zero grazing isn’t yet the norm in the UK, it’s arguable that it could follow in the footsteps of other countries in making it so. In the US, around 80 percent of cows are kept in such systems. In Denmark, Germany, and Austria, it’s 50 percent. Meanwhile, in Hungary, it’s at least 95 percent. 

“The UK is sadly following the US and Europe in allowing this silent takeover of total captivity,” Gellatley told PBN. “The chilling truth of the dairy industry is that cows have always been sacrificed at the altar of profit, and never more so than today.”

This article was written by Polly Foreman on the PBN Website.

Around 86 percent of pigs in the UK are killed using an 80 percent concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas. The gas forms an acid on wet surfaces it touches, including their eyes, lungs, and throats. Pigs will thrash about and scream as it “burns them from the inside.” It can take up to one minute for them to be rendered unconscious. 

Flynn described the footage, which was produced by the Plant Based News creative team for Viva!, as some of the most “disturbing” he has ever seen. 

“Look at them,” he said. “You can see the fear and desperation in their eyes. They’re just like us in all ways that matter, but they spend their last moments screaming in pain while being gassed to death.”

Flynn, who has been vegan for a number of years, added that it “looks like something out of our worst nightmares.” He went on to explain that it is real, and happening in slaughterhouses across the UK. 

“Listen to their screams,” he said. “Is a quick meal really worth their suffering? When I learnt the truth about animal agriculture, I never looked at the world in the same way again.”

Pigs in the UK

Around 10 million pigs are killed each year in the UK. The majority (around two thirds) are factory farmed. 

Female pigs (known as sows) will be repeatedly artificially inseminated throughout their lives, and forced to live in cages known as “farrowing crates” for around six weeks after giving birth. 

These crates don’t offer her any room to turn around, and scarcely room to move at all. Her piglets will suckle from a small area next to her, which is called “the creep.” She is unable to access, nuzzle, or in any way take care of her babies. 

Mutilations are common in pig farming. Piglets will often have their tails cut off hours after birth. They may often have their four most prominent front teeth cut off in a process known as “teeth clipping.” These procedures are often done without anesthetic. 

While the majority are gassed with CO2 at the slaughterhouse, the rest will be stunned and have their throats cut. Numerous investigations have shown, however, that improper stunning is rife. An investigation by Animal Aid into 11 randomly chosen slaughterhouses found that pigs weren’t being stunned properly in almost every one. This means that they were alive when they had their throats cut, and sometimes even conscious when plunged into scalding tanks of hot water. 

This article was written by Polly Foreman on the PBN Website.

Siobhan Dolan from vegan charity Viva! explains the connection between CO2 and the meat industry.

CO2 shortages and the meat industry

For billions of animals slaughtered each year in the UK, CO2 is the last thing they will breathe before dying.

In fact, this technique of slaughter, known as gassing, is the most common slaughter technique for many intensively farmed animals.

This is usually because it is the cheapest and quickest way to kill many animals at once. While it has often been thought to cause less suffering than other visibly more brutal methods, this is not true. And, gassing methods can cause horrendous suffering to animals in their last moments.

Pigs are lowered into a chamber containing at least 70 percent CO2 in air.

During this time they will struggle, gasp for breath, squeal, and climb over each other until they finally lose consciousness.

The pigs must remain in the gas mixture until they are completely unconscious which can take up to 30 seconds. After this, the animals are then shackled by one hind leg, hoisted and their throats cut to drain their blood.

The length of time it takes to kill pigs and the acute distress it causes have led to calls to ban the CO2 stunning method.

How birds are slaughtered with CO2

Most poultry birds killed in the UK face a similar fate. Birds are transported to slaughterhouses in crates.

Then, while still in the crates, they are placed into a chamber. Here, they are exposed to either concentrations of CO2 or a mixture of inert gases (nitrogen and argon). The gas mixture deprives birds of oxygen, causing them to lose consciousness and die. 

In a nutshell, CO2 is used to slaughter millions of animals each year in the UK. And, the current shortage could pose significant delays to the number of animals processed for slaughter.  

Factory farmed animals are bred and reared in filthy, overcrowded sheds. As a result, they often suffer from disease, injury, and psychological problems.

In these environments, profits take priority over animal welfare and Viva!’s countless investigations prove that animals suffer for food production.

Why are animals allowed to be killed like this?

Conditions on factory farms are likely to deteriorate even further. And, animals will experience prolonged suffering on factory farms if delays occur at slaughterhouses as the industry is predicting.

There are also reports from the industry regarding the possibility of animals being destroyed (killed) on farms, should the issue continue.

However, shouldn’t the bigger question be; why are we allowing animals to be kept in these conditions, killed in this way, and continuing to eat them?

Especially, considering how much we understand about animal sentience and the impact animal agriculture is having on the climate crisis? 

CO2 shortages might mean you can’t eat turkey this Christmas, but there are plenty of incredible meat alternatives on the market that can win over even the most dedicated carnivores.

Now might be a good time to give it a go…

You can sign up to Viva!’s vegan meal plan here

This article was written by Siobhan Dolan on the PBN Website.

While fish continues to be labelled a health food – what does the science really say?

Is fish healthy?

We need fats called essential fatty acids for our cell membranes, brain, and nervous system. They help regulate blood pressure, blood clotting, and immune and inflammatory responses. Because we can’t make them in our bodies and must get them from food, they’re labeled ‘essential’. ALA is an omega-3 essential fatty acid. It is found in plant foods such as flaxseeds, rapeseeds, soya, walnuts, and their oils. 

We convert it, in our bodies, into the longer-chain omega-3s EPA and DHA. These are also found in oily fish, which they obtain from algae. Conversion rates in the body can be low, which is why some people insist that fish oils are essential for health. They are not, in fact, they could be doing more harm than good. 

UK guidelines recommend we should eat at least two 140g portions of fish a week, one of which should be oily. This contributes to the widespread belief that eating oily fish or taking omega-3 fish oil supplements reduces our risk of heart disease, stroke, and death. The research tells a different story. 

Gold standard research

Cochrane reviews are regarded as the highest standard in evidence-based research. A 2018 review found that increasing EPA and DHA from oily fish or fish oil supplements had little or no effect on heart health. 

These findings are consistent with many other high-quality reviews. They also found that ALA from plant foods may slightly reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). 

Another 2018 review, this time from the British Journal of Nutrition, found that higher ALA intakes from plant foods were linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. So, it seems you’re better off with plant-based omega-3s. In fact, over the past two decades, many studies have shown a similar lack of effect from fish oils and a beneficial effect from consuming ALA directly from plant foods. 

Mercury rising

Some studies show that oily fish, and fish oil supplements in particularly, can actually have the opposite effect than that claimed. Moreover, they can instead increase the risk of cardiovascular events. 

The American Heart Association says this might be explained by the damaging effects of methylmercury. This is an environmental contaminant found in fish. It can be explained in a study of men in Eastern Finland, where mercury levels in fish are high. The study found that mercury levels in their hair and the amount of fish they ate were linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular death. 

In other words, those eating the most fish also had the highest levels of mercury in their hair and the highest levels of cardiovascular death. 

Toxic shocker

Toxic pollutants contaminate the world’s oceans. They include methylmercury, polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins, and many act as damaging neurotoxins. 

They can accumulate as you move up the food chain, especially in oily fish, cancelling out any supposed beneficial effects of omega-3s. 

Conflicting advice

We have an extraordinary position in the UK. Pregnant and breastfeeding women are advised to eat oily fish. This is because omega-3s can help a baby’s nervous system develop. 

However, all girls and women who are breastfeeding, pregnant, or planning a pregnancy are warned not to eat more than two portions of oily fish a week. It also applies to those who may one day in the future want to have a child.

The reason for this advice is that pollutants in the fish may build up and seriously affect the baby’s development in the womb. And there are more warnings. For example, children, pregnant women, and women trying to get pregnant are also told to avoid eating sharks, swordfish, or marlin. This is because they contain more mercury than other fish and this can damage a developing baby’s nervous system. 

So, damned if you do, damned if you don’t! 

Oily fish includes: herring, pilchards, salmon, sardines, sprats, trout and mackerel. However, the list of fish to limit or avoid has been extended to include some white fish. They may also contain similar levels of pollutants – sea bream, sea bass, turbot, halibut and huss (dogfish). Yet, it’s supposed to be a health food.

Norovirus

Pollutants are not the only problem as filter-feeding shellfish, such as mussels and oysters, can accumulate bacteria and viruses from their environment and when eaten raw, can pose a direct threat to health. Norovirus is one of them and can cause fever, nausea, vomiting, cramping and diarrhoea. 

It is one of the most common causes of food poisoning in the UK. It’s also called the winter vomiting bug because it’s more common in winter, although it can be caught at any time of year. Norovirus infections spread very easily from person-to-person contact or simply by touching surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus and then touching your mouth. 

Outbreaks are common in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and cruise ships and can also occur in restaurants and hotels. The virus is usually mild and lasts for one to two days. Symptoms include vomiting, projectile vomiting, diarrhoea and fever. Most people make a full recovery within a couple of days but it can be dangerous for the very young and elderly people. 

Many outbreaks are linked to shellfish contaminated by human fecal sources. Contamination of bivalve shellfish, particularly oysters with norovirus is recognized as a food safety risk. One study of oyster samples ordered from UK vendors found 69 percent of 630 oyster samples were contaminated with it.

Hepatitis E

Hepatitis E is endemic in many developing countries, where it is spread via a fecal-oral route. Outbreaks are relatively rare in developed countries due to better infrastructure, water supply and sanitation. 

However, there have been clusters of infection in developed countries not associated with travel to areas where the virus is prevalent that are instead associated with zoonotic transmission. In the UK, there has been a steep rise in cases over the last decade. 

Livestock, such as pigs, can act as reservoirs. High levels have been found in wastewater and manure from pig units. This highlights the potential for it to enter watercourses and then accumulate in shellfish. Infectious hepatitis E virus has been found in animal feces, sewage water, inadequately treated water, contaminated shellfish, and animal meats. 

Fish farms are not the answer

Fish farms now provide more than half of all fish consumed by humans but are certainly not the answer. These overcrowded, unnatural pens transmit disease and cause water pollution; choking marine life with persistent organic pollutants, antibiotics, chemicals from parasitical treatments, anaesthetics, disinfectants, feed additives, metals and antifoulants. 

Farmed fish tend to contain less omega-3s as they are fed omega-6-rich vegetable oils in addition to fishmeal and fish oils. Yes, fish are being pulled out of the sea in order to feed farmed fish and livestock. 

Our oceans are being decimated and ancient coral reefs destroyed at an unprecedented level. This is due to fishing on an industrial scale. Marine ecosystems are collapsing as bottom-trawlers plow through sea beds. Up to 90 percent of some fish species have already depleted, decimating populations of large-bodied marine animals who depend upon them. 

This domino effect could disrupt ocean ecosystems for millions of years to come. The nonsensical belief that fish cannot feel pain still prevails despite abundant scientific evidence showing that fish experience conscious pain in the same way as mammals and birds. Pain is an essential element of evolution, teaching creatures which things it is essential to avoid. 

Fish in the U.K.

Surprisingly for an island nation, fish is not a popular food in the UK. The average adult consumes just 54g of oily fish per week. 

The good news? You don’t have to destroy the oceans, inflict pain or eat neurotoxins and carcinogens to get your essential omega-3s. Plant foods can provide more than enough to keep your heart healthy and combat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. 

Or, if you choose, you can take an algal-based vegan omega-3 supplement that supplies EPA and DHA without the risk of contamination. This is free from the ethical and environmental concerns of eating fish. Help our oceans become healthy again and leave fish alone. 

Find out more about fish and health here

This article was first published by Viva!

This article was written by Justine Butler on the PBN Website.

More than 15,000 Brits have backed a campaign from Viva! calling on the politician to address the ‘unequivocal links between the intensification of animal agriculture, global pandemics and the climate emergency’. 

End factory farming

The organization has written an open letter to Johnson, which requests he ‘encourage plant-based food initiatives to transition our food system’.

“Across the globe animals are kept in horrific conditions in factory farms and wildlife markets,” the letter states.

“These settings provide a fertile environment for the transmission of viruses between different species. And, are the leading contributor to global heating. 

“Meat and dairy production is responsible for 60 percent of agriculture’s greenhouse gas emissions. But, the products provide just 18 percent of calories and 37 percent of protein levels around the world.”

The letter then adds: “In the wake of coronavirus, there are calls for tighter controls at airports, banning the unregulated movement of wild animals and limiting human-animal contact. But the obvious solutions… are to end factory farming and transition to plant-based food systems!

“The time to end the exploitation of animals and protect ourselves against future pandemics and climate breakdown is now.”

Ricky Gervais

Last year, celebrity comedian, actor, and animal rights advocate Ricky Gervais spoke in support of the campaign.

Moreover, the star said: “Factory Farming condemns animals to a lifetime of suffering. It’s cruel, inhumane, and doesn’t belong in this century.”

Attitudes to factory farming

Earlier this year, the charity commissioned a 2,000-person poll on attitudes towards factory farming. 

It found nine in 10 Britons want the government to introduce an immediate ban on intensive farming methods amid concerns over killer viruses.

Moreover, 83 percent of Scots supported the ban. The poll also shows that a staggering one in three participants are aiming to slash their consumption of animal products.

Dr. Justine Butler is a Senior Health Researcher at Viva!. In an online statement, she said: “Across the UK we are seeing outbreaks of avian flu in factory farms as well as backyard chickens.  The scientific evidence could not be clearer.

Dr. Butler then concluded: “Farming animals intensively increases the chance of mutation, and spread, of dangerous viruses.”   

You can read the full letter to Boris Johnson and sign the campaign here

This article was written by Liam Gilliver on the PBN Website.

In the 1996 film, A Time to Kill, Matthew McConaughey plays a defense lawyer defending Samuel Jackson’s Carl Lee Hailey; a black man accused of murdering two white men who attacked his 10-year-old daughter, Tonya.

It’s Mississippi in the 1980s and racial tension is high. In his closing speech, McConaughey asks the jurors to close their eyes and picture the scene. He slowly describes how the girl was snatched, beaten, raped and thrown off a bridge into a river after a failed attempt to hang her from a tree.

The jurors, who are all white, shift uncomfortably in their seats but when, at the end, he says: “now imagine she’s white” – it’s like an electric shock wakes them up!

Changing perspectives

Some animal rights groups have used a similar tactic, substituting a person for a farmed animal in street action or adverts, to encourage people to rethink their attitude towards farmed animals.

In Viva!’s Face Off campaign, we use virtual reality visors to expose the horrors of factory farms. Once the blinkers are off, it’s impossible to put them back on! It’s simply a matter of changing perspective.

Cows have different personalities, hold grudges, bicker and bond

Cows are sometimes portrayed as lacking intelligence but studies show that they play games, recognise different humans and have a variety of calls to communicate with one another.

They have different personalities, hold grudges, bicker, bond and form long-term friendships. In the wild, mothers and daughters stay together for life.

They can also feel anxious and depressed and their natural lives are very different to those they are forced to lead on a dairy farm.

Just like us, cows only produce milk after giving birth

Shortly after her first birthday, a modern dairy cow will be confined and forcibly impregnated using restraining apparatus called a ‘rape rack’.

This is the beginning of her short and wretched life cycle – pregnancy, loss and lactation.

Artificial insemination can be painful and traumatic and it’s not uncommon for inexperienced farmers to practise on live animals, inevitably leading to injuries.

Following a nine-month pregnancy, she gives birth and typically within days or even hours, her calf is snatched away. Separation is a painfully emotional experience for both calf and mother and she may bellow for days, calling for her lost calf. Again, once you witness this, it cannot be unseen. Female calves are replacements for the milking herd, males are seen as useless ‘by-products’ and usually sold for cheap meat (beef as well as veal) or killed on-farm.

She will be impregnated again while still lactating, meaning that for at least seven months of the year she is pregnant while being milked. Selective breeding and intensive farming methods have been used to increase average milk yields from 10 litres a day in the 1970s to 22 litres a day in 2019. The enormous strain this places on her body is unsustainable, leading to complete physical breakdown. At any one time, a third of dairy cows have mastitis, a painful udder infection. Lameness is common and permanent nerve damage through problematic calving can affect her ability to control her back legs. To prevent her from doing the splits, farmers may shackle her hind legs together.

Milk cows: the hardest working mothers

At the end of her short productive life, she may be suffering with infertility, mastitis, lameness or just poor milk production. She will be culled for use in low-quality beef products, such as pies, burgers, soups and baby food.

For most, this happens when they are just around six years old, a fraction of their natural 20-year life expectancy. Dairy cows are perhaps the hardest worked of all farmed animals. This is according to Professor John Webster, Emeritus Professor in Animal Husbandry at Bristol University.

Speciesism

Milk, then, is the product of the exploitation of the reproductive capacity of a female body. The reproductive freedom of women and animals are both intrinsically linked to patriarchy, capitalism and other forms of oppression.

So why pick and choose which form of oppression to oppose? Increasingly, feminists are asking why it’s okay for humans to violently control an animal’s reproductive system while fundamentally opposing similar treatment of women?

Assigning different moral values or rights to individuals on the basis of what species they belong to is called speciesism. American writer, activist and animal rights advocate, Carol J. Adams, says: “I am a vegan-feminist because I am one animal among many and I don’t wish to impose a hierarchy of consumption upon this relationship”.

Abuse of dairy milk cows

Key to feminist politics is a woman’s right to control what happens to her own body – the right to choose. It wasn’t until 1991 that rape within marriage became a crime. Before this, the law implied that women were the property of their husbands.

Deliberate acts of abuse on animals disgust most people. So why do so many ignore this systematic, routine abuse of dairy cows? Adams, says: “I would like to see reproductive freedom for all female animals, not just human females.”

Moo too

The #MeToo movement highlighted the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment of women, especially in the workplace. When animal rights campaigners used the hashtag on behalf of voiceless animals it caused consternation among some that the suffering of animals was considered comparable to that of women. The recent use of the phrase ‘Moo Too’, made popular by author Peter Lovenheim in the Los Angeles Times, was not meant to diminish the #MeToo movement but to emphasise the disturbing fact that exploitation of females is so systemic it even crosses species.

Speciesism, some say, is a prejudice similar to racism and analogies have been made between livestock farming and slavery. In her book The Dreaded Comparison: Animal Slavery and Human Slavery, Marjorie Spiegel says: “Both humans and animals share the ability to suffer from restricted freedom of movement, from the loss of social freedom and to experience pain at the loss of a loved one. Both groups suffer or suffered from their common capacity to be terrified, by being hunted, tormented or injured. Both have been objectified, treated as property rather than as feeling, self-directed individuals…”

Tying all these strands together, American author and activist Alice Walker said: “The animals of the world exist for their own reasons. They were not made for humans any more than black people were made for whites or women for men.”

Should feminists drink dairy?

We’re upset by stories of violence against women – rape, forced pregnancy, infants being snatched away from their mothers.

Yet these are all routine practices in the modern dairy farm. A torturous cycle of physical and emotional torment is enforced upon the dairy cow until she breaks.

You can find out more here

This article was first published by Viva!

This article was written by Maria Chiorando on the PBN Website.