• Browse by: category | company | brand | product type  
  • HOME
  • THE GUIDE
  • ISSUES
  • GET INFORMED
  • GET INVOLVED
  • SHOP
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT US
  • All  |
  • Baby  |
  • Clothing  |
  • Food & Drink  |
  • Household  |
  • Office Supplies  |
  • Personal Care  |
  • Pet  |
  • Retail  |
  • Technology  |
  • Toys
  • |  Print Guide  |
  • App
  • Clothing  |
  • Electronics  |
  • Food & Drink  |
  • Household & Personal Care
  • Issues  |
  • New! Clothing  |
  • Why Shop Ethically?  |
  • 5 Principles  |
  • Companies to avoid  |
  • News  |
  • Sign Up for Updates
  • Go ethical at school, work, home  |
  • Campaign  |
  • Spread the Word  |
  • Volunteer  |
  • Workshops  |
  • Movie Nights  |
  • Fundraising
  • All Products  |
  • Shop Ethical! app  |
  • Shop Ethical! book  |
  • Stockists  |
  • Other books  |
  • Fregie sacks  |
  • FREE STUFF!  |
  • DONATE
  • Introduction  |
  • About Us  |
  • Ratings & Assessment  |
  • Media Mentions  |
  • Testimonials  |
  • FAQ

ICON DECODER

COMPANY RATINGS
Praises, no criticism
Some praise, no criticism
No rating
Praises, some criticism
Criticism, some praise
Criticisms

Note: Ratings are based on company record, including parent companies. They are not a comment on the product itself.
> more about ratings

OTHER ICONS
Australian Owned
Outstanding Product Feature
Industry Alert

Issues

What do you value?
> Animal testing
> Conflict minerals
> Factory farming
> Food miles
> Genetic engineering
> Labour exploitation
> Nanotechnology
> Overfishing
> Packaging & waste
> Palm oil
> See all
 

Categories

What do you buy?
> Baby
> Clothing
> Food & Drink
> Household
> Office Supplies
> Personal Care
> Pets
> Retail
> Technology
> Toys
> See all

Milk

The Guide > Food & Drink > Dairy & Chilled > Milk 

Bobby Calves

In order to produce milk, dairy cows have to give birth to a calf every year. Most baby ('bobby') calves are separated from their mothers within 12 hours of birth. Every year 700,000 calves as young as five days old are sold, to be killed and processed as young veal for human consumption, hides for leather and pharmaceutical by-products.  [Animals Australia]
  • Media on RSPCA's campaigning against an industry proposal to let calves heading for slaughter go unfed as a cost cutting means.   [Sydney Morning Herald]
  • See why we haven't included Bobby Calves as an 'Industry Alert'.   [FAQ]
  • Consider reducing or removing dairy from your diet   [Product alternatives]
  • Find out more about this.   [RSPCA's 'What happens to Bobby calves']
  • Choose products from companies that have animal welfare on their agenda, such as Elgaar Farms, Barambah Organics or How Now.  [Elgaar Farms]

Alternatives beyond the mainstream

Barambah Organics  [more info]
Features: Cruelty free
Brisbane-based Organic dairy farm who have a policy that involves keeping all bobby calves.
Manufacturer: Barambah Organics
Elgaar Farm  [more info]
Features: Organic
Tasmanian Organic dairy farm with significant animal welfare policies. Retire dairy cows to grazing the paddocks for the rest of their natural life. Let calves suckle naturally on their mothers for an extended period of time (2 to 4 months). Let the calves run with the herd (and therefore their mothers) from then on. Do not use animal derived rennet in the production of cheese. Package milk in returnable glass with deposit system. Only available in Tasmania
Manufacturer: Elgaar Farms
How Now  [more info]
Features: Calves stay with their mothers
Small family-run farm in Northern Victoria who milk, process and distribute the milk themselves. How Now doesn't separate the calves and cows and they don't send the calves to slaughter. "The average cow will produce 20 litres of milk a day - but a calf only drinks around seven litres, so we only use what remains." To reduce the number of bobby calves born, artificial intelligence is used to produce predominantly females using a more expensive type of semen that has about a 90% success rate. Based in Victoria.
Manufacturer: How Now Dairy
About these listings
Find farmers' markets, food coops, farm gate products at Local Harvest
BRAND COMPANY OWNED RATING
Living Planet some products certified organic some products certified organic Pureharvest   Australian Owned  Praises, no criticism1
Barambah Organics certified organic certified organic Barambah Organics   (Tanarra Capital) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Fleurieu (SA)  Fleurieu Milk & Yoghurt Co   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Mungalli Creek certified organic certified organic Mungalli Creek Dairy   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Norco some products certified organic some products certified organic Norco   Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Australia's Own  Noumi   (Arrovest Perich Group) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Milk Lab  Noumi   (Arrovest Perich Group) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
So Natural  Noumi   (Arrovest Perich Group) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Paris Creek Farms certified organic certified organic Paris Creek Farms   (Maggie Beer Holdings) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Pure Organic certified organic certified organic Remarkable Milk Co   (Kyvalley Dairy)
Brand Owner: Lactalis Australia  
Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
True Organic certified organic certified organic Remarkable Milk Co   (Kyvalley Dairy) Australian Owned  Some praise, no criticism2
Betta (TAS)  Betta Milk   (TasFoods) Australian Owned  No rating3
Green Pastures  Green Pastures  
Manufacturer: Warrnambool Cheese & Butter  
Australian Owned  No rating3
Riverina Fresh  Riverina Fresh   (Blue River Group) Australian Owned  No rating3
Nanny Goat Lane  Dairy Goat Co-op  
Distributor: Riviana Foods  
NZL  No rating3
Bannister Downs Farm (WA)  Bannister Downs Farm   (Hancock Prospecting) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Dairy Farmers  Bega Dairy & Drinks   (Bega Cheese) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Farmers Union  Bega Dairy & Drinks   (Bega Cheese) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Heart Active  Bega Dairy & Drinks   (Bega Cheese) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Masters (WA)  Bega Dairy & Drinks   (Bega Cheese) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Pura  Bega Dairy & Drinks   (Bega Cheese) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
The Complete Dairy  Bega Dairy & Drinks   (Bega Cheese) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Canberra Milk (ACT)  Capitol Chilled Foods   (Bega Cheese) Australian Owned  Praises, some criticism4
Farmdale  Aldi Australia   (Aldi South) GER  Praises, some criticism4
Brownes  Brownes   (Milkground) CHN  Praises, some criticism4
Anchor  Fonterra Australia   (Fonterra) NZL  Praises, some criticism4
Farmers' Own  Woolworths   Australian Owned  Criticism, some praise5
a2  A2 Australia   (A2 Milk Company) NZL  Criticism, some praise5
Devondale  Saputo Dairy Australia   (Saputo) CAN  Criticism, some praise5
Great Ocean Road  Saputo Dairy Australia   (Saputo) CAN  Criticism, some praise5
Liddells  Saputo Dairy Australia   (Saputo) CAN  Criticism, some praise5
Sungold  Saputo Dairy Australia   (Saputo) CAN  Criticism, some praise5
Harvey Fresh  Harvey Fresh   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Farmhouse Gold  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Parmalat  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Pauls  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
PhysiCal  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Rev  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Skinny Milk  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Smarter White  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Zymil  Lactalis Australia   (Lactalis) FRA  Criticisms6
Carnation  Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6
Nestle  Nestle Australia   (Nestle) SWI  Criticisms6



  • About Us

    • Introduction
    • About Shop Ethical!
    • About ECG
    • About the Ratings
    • Assessment sources
    • Shop Ethical! database
    • Shop Ethical! book
    • Shop Ethical! app
    • Contact us
    • FAQ

    • Copyright
    • Privacy
    • Disclaimer
  • Get Informed

    • ISSUES
    • GET INFORMED
    • Electronics Guide
    • Clothing Guide
    • Values Screen
    • Why Shop Ethically?
    • 5 Principles
    • Be Inspired
    • Calendar
    • Local Harvest
  • Get Involved

    • GET INVOLVED
    • Go Ethical at school,
      work, home, church
    • Run a workshop or tour
    • Host a movie night
    • Spread the word
    • Resources
    • Volunteer
    • Support us
  • Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Suggest brand/company
    • Report an error
    • Give feedback
    • Sign up for updates
    • Past newsletters
    • >>DONATE<<

    • GET the GUIDE
        • App Store
        • Google Play
        • buy our book