Animals milked before illegal slaughter, investigation shows
- Animal Equality’s investigation uncovers widespread cruelty in India’s dairy-linked slaughterhouses.
- Abuse was documented at six facilities in Maharashtra and Kerala from October to December 2023.
- Violations of India’s animal cruelty laws and court orders were observed.
- The investigation exposes links between India’s dairy and meat industries.
- Workers were seen slitting cows’ and buffaloes’ throats, beating them with hammers, and dragging them through pools of blood.
- Cruelty has been found during similar investigations in the UK, US, and Italy.
For years Animal Equality has been revealing widespread cruelty and legal violations in slaughterhouses connected to the dairy industry, in the UK, US, India and other countries. Between October and December 2023, investigators documented abuse at six facilities in Maharashtra and Kerala.
Here’s what they found:
- Workers repeatedly slit cows’ and buffaloes’ throats, failing to kill them with a single cut.
- Animals were slaughtered in full view of each other, breaking laws that require separate spaces for stunning.
- Workers sometimes covered animals’ eyes to shield them from seeing the deaths, but the animals could still hear the cries of those being killed nearby.
- In Kerala, investigators discovered “hammer slaughter,” where workers attempted to stun animals by bludgeoning them repeatedly with hammers. One cow was seen crying out, gasping for breath before collapsing.
In many instances, animals were milked one last time before being killed. In Deonar, several buffaloes attempted to escape but slipped in pools of blood. Workers were seen twisting a buffalo’s tail and dragging her as she struggled to break free. Despite her efforts, her throat was eventually slit.
Some buffaloes were weak, exhausted, and sick, but none were spared. Workers loaded these animals onto carts and moved them to the kill floors.
These practices clearly violate India’s 1960 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, as well as High Court and Supreme Court orders that establish slaughterhouse rules. “Every slaughterhouse we visited disregarded these laws,” said Amruta Ubale, Executive Director of Animal Equality in India.
Animal cruelty: a worldwide crisis
India is the largest dairy producer in the world, supplying nearly a quarter of the global market. However, the cruelty seen in India is far from an isolated issue. Similar abuses have been documented around the world.
In 2022, Animal Equality released undercover footage from Madox Farm – a large dairy farm in South Wales – exposing months of violence and neglect. Workers were filmed kicking and punching cows in the face and stomach, twisting tails, and hitting them with metal shovels.
One incident involved a cow left to suffer after her unborn calf died, despite a veterinarian recommending immediate euthanasia. The manager opted to delay, and the cow died overnight.
This footage aired to millions on BBC’s Panorama, alongside an interview with Animal Equality’s investigator. This program revealed Madox Farm’s supply chain, which includes Freshways, the UK’s largest independent dairy processor. Freshways distributes dairy to major retailers like Costa Coffee, British Airways, Londis, and Amazon Fresh, with its products certified by Red Tractor.
Similarly harsh conditions have been found in the US. In 2019, Animal Equality exposed Summit Calf Ranch, a supplier linked to Babybel. Calves were left to freeze in subzero temperatures, their frozen hooves separating from their legs. Workers were filmed hitting calves while sick animals were left to die untreated.
In Northern Italy, a 2019 investigation into the buffalo mozzarella industry uncovered animals standing in mud and faeces, covered in flies and surrounded by dead animals. Male calves — deemed useless because they don’t produce milk — were left to die from hunger and thirst. Investigators even found a buffalo corpse poorly hidden under straw and manure.
The plant-based solution
These investigations make one thing clear: the dairy industry — both in India and around the world — profits from animal cruelty. As more people learn the truth, they are beginning to rethink their consumption of dairy.
Plant-based alternatives offer a compassionate solution. With options like oat milk and almond-based cheeses, the plant-based industry is growing rapidly, offering cruelty-free choices that are better for animals, the environment, and human health.
Protect cows and calves
Every day mother cows are separated from their newborn calves, just so milk can appear on the shelves of supermarkets. Protect cows by choosing plant-based dairy alternatives.
