Animal Justice Project commissioned YouGov to survey 2,000 participants to assess public awareness of the dairy industry. The industry works hard to conceal its practices behind marketing and welfare claims. As expected, the results confirmed that most of the British public know very little about the reality of farming cows due to the industry's deliberate and calculated efforts to keep us in the dark.

The Results

• 52% of people were not aware that cows are impregnated annually in order to produce milk.

More than half of the UK population is unaware of a fundamental truth about farming cows for their milk: cows must be artificially and forcibly inseminated every year to produce milk. Many people mistakenly believe that cows naturally produce milk, but like humans, females need to be pregnant in order to produce milk. After giving birth, mother cows are separated from their calves almost immediately, and the milk intended for their babies is instead taken for human consumption. This is a fact the industry is very quiet about.

• 83% of people were unaware that cows and calves are separated within 24 hours of birth.

This result highlights the public's lack of awareness about the realities of farming cows. Calves spend only a brief moment with their mothers before being separated so that the industry can take the milk intended for them. The mother cow often calls out desperately for her calf, mourning their loss. Tragically, she will endure this cycle three to four times until her ‘milk production’ declines, at which point she will be slaughtered, as the industry deems that she is no longer ‘profitable’.

• 82% of people were unaware that dairy cows are typically slaughtered at 5-7 years old.

Cows can naturally live up to 25 years, yet they are killed at just a fraction of that age by the industry. Our survey reveals that very few people are aware of this reality. Once a cow's body weakens and her milk production declines, the industry deems her no longer ‘profitable’. After years of being forcibly impregnated and repeatedly separated from her calves, these gentle and intelligent animals are then slaughtered.

• Only 17% of people agree that dairy companies provide consumers with enough information about how milk and dairy products are produced.

This result indicates that only a small minority of people believe they are given enough information from dairy companies about the reality of the industry; this is also reflected in the evident lack of knowledge in the responses to the previous three questions. Behind the welfare-washed and green-washed imagery lies the Arlarming reality of the dairy industry. 

Our survey reveals widespread public ignorance about farming cows for milk

Over half of the UK population (52%) don’t know cows are impregnated annually for milk, and 83% are unaware that calves are separated within 24 hours, causing immense distress. With only 17% of people believing ‘dairy companies provide enough information, the industry’s harsh realities of suffering, and killing cows at a young age remain largely hidden.

So, it is time to demand change, which brings us to the last question of our survey. 

• Although they know little about the dairy industry, one-third of Brits (32%) are still willing to have oat milk as the default milk. 

As we educate them about the Arlarming reality of farming cows for milk, this number will only increase. So together, let's educate the public about the hidden reality of farming cows.

As always,

for the animals!