SAFE is asking New Zealanders to consider the dairy industry from a new perspective - her perspective.

It’s common practice for the dairy industry to raise female cows for five to six years before sending them to slaughter. During this time, mother cows endure a cycle of pregnancy, birth, separation, and milking, until they can no longer produce enough milk to be profitable. A cow's natural lifespan is up to 20 years.

SAFE Campaigns Manager Jessica Chambers says this campaign will create some ‘lightbulb’ moments for Kiwis.

"It’s time to see cows for who they are, not for what they can produce," said Chambers

"We’re encouraging Kiwis to make the connection between the brutal practices necessary for dairy production, and the suffering that mother cows experience."

The Dairy Industry separates around 4.5 million calves from their mothers every year in Aotearoa. The milk intended for those calves is instead harvested for human consumption.

Over 2 million male calves (known as ‘bobby calves’) are disposed of as a by-product within days of birth. In 2016, covert footage was revealed that showed bobby calf abuse on New Zealand farms, which outraged Kiwis and captured international attention.

"For too long, mother cows and their babies have suffered at the hands of an industry which views them as either production units or waste products."

"It doesn’t have to be this way. Consumer demand for plant-based milk and cheese is high, and these products have never been so easily accessible. The market is growing, and farmers are actively choosing to transition to more sustainable and humane forms of farming."

"We can create a future where mothers and their babies are no longer exploited based on what their reproductive systems can offer by removing dairy from the equation."

SAFE is New Zealand’s leading animal rights organisation.

We're creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.

Notes for editors:

- Footage of calf separation as farm works collect newborn calves.

- Footage of mother cow chasing a vehicle down a road that’s carrying her newborn calf.

- Dairy cruelty investigation 2016.

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