Country Mouse on veal

Of all the lunacies that have befallen farming over the past decades, one of the most stupid was the destruction of the British veal industry by gullible do-gooders. What do these people think happens to bull calves born to dairy herds? They're hardly going to be kept as pets. In fact, it's simple?they're either shot at birth because they are worthless, or sold, when market conditions allow, cheaply, for live export to the Continent. It's a pointless waste, but such is the stigma attached to eating veal, that this delicious meat has all but disappeared from our plates.

Nor?in Britain, with its exemplary welfare issues?is raising veal cruel. Our farmers want to produce either rose veal, whereby these hitherto unwanted bull calves are raised outdoors, fed on milk and grass, and slaughtered at 10 to 12 months, or fattened until they're 16 to 19 months and sold as young beef.

All that's needed is a market for this delicious product?it is up to us to provide one and to stop the dreadful waste of killing them at birth or exporting them live to who knows where on the Continent. We would be doing the farmers, the calves and our cuisine a favour.

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