Why is
cow’s milk not necessary for the health of dogs and cats?
Cows
produce milk for their calves and yet around the world there are not only
billions of humans consuming milk but now it’s also being given to our
domesticated pets. It is being
used in vast quantities to produce a whole range of dairy products including
cheese, yoghurt, ice cream, chocolate, butter to name but a few. The sale of cow’s milk (intended for
the growing calf) has indeed become a multi billion-dollar industry.
Was
this what nature intended, probably not?
Is it necessary for humans, cats and dogs to consume cows milk to ensure
good health and longevity, absolutely without a doubt the answer is no. However, cows milk does contain, “water,
calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, very little iron or zinc, good quality
protein, saturated fat, some vitamin A and traces of the B vitamins.”
(Billinghurst 1993)
Unfortunately
the only cow’s milk available to the average consumer is from a
supermarket. The majority of milk
sold commercially has, by law, been homogenised and pasteurised prior to its
packaging and sale to the general public.
In many countries including Australia, it is illegal for farmers to sell
raw, unprocessed cows milk. “The sale of raw milk for drinking purposes
is illegal in all states and territories in Australia, as is all raw cheese. This has been
circumvented somewhat by selling raw milk as bath milk.” (Wikipedia website)
The
process of pasteurisation, which involves heating, destroys B and C vitamins,
antioxidants, live enzymes and proteins.
When proteins and enzymes are heated their chemical structures changes;
denaturing them. This mutation of
their natural structure can decrease their usefulness and the ability for an
individual to digest them. During homogenisation, the milk releases a chemical
potentially dangerous to the cardiovascular system. (Billinghurst 1993)
So
why is milk put through this processing if it becomes less nutritional and
potentially harmful? We are told
that if milk is not prepared in this way it could potentially carry harmful
bacteria such as tuberculosis.
Also raw cow’s milk has a very short, refrigerated, shelf life whereas
processed milk, in particular, ‘long life milk’ can last for months at a
time. This can be looked at as an
advantage, due to long transport times and for the many people who are unable
to shop on a regular basis.
However we must ask ourselves what is the true nutritional value of
consuming something that was produced by a cow months ago? Wouldn’t it be more beneficial to
obtain the nutrients found in milk from more natural, unprocessed foods?
Most
authors, whom dedicate their books to natural methods of feeding our pets, do
not promote cow’s milk as part of a healthy diet. Author of ‘Natural Nutrition for Cats and Dogs,’ states, “do not feed your pet pasteurised,
homogenised, condensed, septic packaged long life milk or sweetened condensed
milk.” The healthier
alternative is raw goats milk, which can be beneficial to cats and dogs of all
ages. (Puotein 1999)
If milk
is added to the diet it should be raw (not pasteurised). However, other milk products such as
yogurt (lactose free) can be given regularly. (Stein 1993)
According
to Dr Billinghurst, author of ‘Give a dog a bone,’ he recommends that if
pasteurised milk is included in a diet it must be mixed into the following
recipe:
·
250ml milk
·
2 egg yolks
·
2 tsp
canola oil
·
1 tsp honey
·
a pinch of low
sodium salt
This
protein rich liquid is excellent for bitches that are having difficulties with
their own milk production. (Billinghurst 1993)
Interestingly,
whilst not promoting pasteurised milk in our pets diet, (mainly due to the lack
of nutrients and the stomach upsets it causes) Billinghurst found that if the
milk is fortified with canola oil and whey protein, normal stools are
produced.
Whilst
acknowledging and appreciating the well researched information from the above
authors, my own hesitance to give my cats and dogs cows milk is based on two
issues:
1.
The animal welfare issues it raises
2.
The chemicals found in non-organic milk
Due
to the human demand for a continuous supply of another species milk on the
supermarket shelves, farmers around the world are pushed to obtain the highest
yield from their dairy cows.
Calves are taken within days of birth from their mothers and after
unthinkable emotional trauma are killed for veal meat. Mothers grieve the loss of their young,
which is expressed both verbally and emotionally.
'Bobby' is
one of over 700,000 week-old calves discarded yearly as 'waste products' of the
dairy industry. Most people aren't aware that in order to produce milk, dairy
cows are kept almost continually pregnant. Unwanted calves (known as 'bobby
calves') are sent to slaughter in their first week of life so that milk can be
harvested for human consumption. (Animals
Australia official website 2012) The video which accompanies this feature http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/dairy.php is truly heartbreaking and certainly changed my whole
outlook on the dairy industry both in Australia and overseas.
There
are dairy farms throughout the USA where the cows are not grass fed, in fact
millions of cows never walk on a green field their entire lives. Fortunately in Australia, dairy cows
(as far as I know) are kept in their natural environment consuming the natural
nutrients in fresh grass which nature intended. However there is mounting evidence that dairy cows, due to
selective breeding, genetic manipulation and a continuous cycle of pregnancy
and birthing, are presently far more susceptible to diseases such as mastitis,
infection and injury.
“To keep producing milk for human consumption, a dairy
cow must produce a calf each year. A young female (heifer) has her first calf
at two years of age. The calf is taken away, usually within 12-24hours of
birth, and the mother is milked to capacity. She is ready to conceive again
about three weeks later, and every three weeks after that. She is put in calf
again at her second or third heat, and milking continues for 10 months after
she has given birth. She is rested for some weeks before the next calf arrives,
then the cycle continues for as long as she can continue to produce enough milk
to be a profitable unit". (Animal
Liberation, Australia)
Cows
milk and cows milk products are certainly not foods a dog or cat would eat in
the wild. (Schultze 1998) This statement alone explains that our
pets certainly do not require it naturally for excellent health and longevity.
On
the issue of chemicals in the milk, dairy cows are found to produce milk
containing:
·
Antibiotics
(to assist an exhausted immune system)
·
fertility
hormones (to ensure ongoing pregnancies and a continuous supply of milk)
·
chemical
pesticides (from pastures sprayed with chemicals)
·
Genetically
modified organisms (from mass produced GM food)
If
we insist on consuming cow’s milk and cow’s milk produce it should certainly at
the very least, be organic.
(Mercola.com 2011) Below are the conditions, which the organic dairy
farmers in Australia must legally adhere to:
•
No GMO's (genetically modified organisms) in the feed
•
No case of BSE ever found in an organic born and
raised dairy cow
•
No use of antibiotics unless cows are ill and other
treatments are not achieving results
•
No use of artificial insecticides on pastures where
organic cows graze
•
No use of artificial herbicides on pastures where
organic cows graze
•
No use of artificial fungicides on pastures where
organic cows graze
•
No use of solvents to produce organic cattle feed
•
No housing of organic dairy cows all year round
•
No housing of organic calves in single pens where they
cannot see or touch other cows. (Organic Food Directory Australia, Official Website
2008)
In
support of organic farming, I personally now buy only organic animal produce,
which includes organic milk, and all milk products. I live in Dubai and the milk produce here is certainly not
from cows that have grazed on organic green pastures. All the milk produce I buy is imported from Germany and
France.
I
send a prayer for all those cows who are suffering emotionally and physically
from the intense and ongoing demand for milk.
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