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Readers attack production of veal
Calf mistreatment
wont be tolerated
by informed public
In reference to the letter from Nick
Hytrek (letter to the editor, DN, Oct.
16) concerning the treatment of veal
calves, there remains some details
that need to be published that would
give the subject more clarity.
Mr. Hytrek states that he grew up
on a dairy farm and that farmers are
“not the hicks that most people make
them out to be.” I would like to assure
him that most of us that arc champi
oning the cause of animal rights do
not believe that “farmers arc hicks.”
In fact, we feel that farmers are often
the victims of economics that, in
order to stay competitive, seem to
require streamlined, high-tech agri
cultural production systems that do
not have the wclfarcofanimals within
their design. Ag chemical and phar
maceutical companies also have a
heavy hand in the farm animal scene,
convincing both consumers and farm
ers of the necessity of their products.
In the case of veal calves, the male
offspring arc indeed sold at two or
three days of age to a veal farmer.
Perhaps Mr. Hytrck’s dairy farm kept
their own veal calves, but the “nor
mal” procedure within the dairy farm
and veal industry remains one that the
calves are removed soon after birth.
Mr. Hytrek claims that the veal
calves suffer from diarrhea if they
have roomy pens — that’s not quite
right. Actually, veal calves suffer from
chronic diarrhea from being exclu
sively fed a liquid diet of growth
stimulants, antibiotics, powdered skim
milk (NOT their mother’s milk, but a
milk substitute that is purposely iron
deficient in order to produce “pre
mium” veal) and mold inhibitors.
To prevent muscle development
and to speed weight gain, the calves
are allowed no exercise and are chained
in tiny crates. They are tethered by
the neck inside the crate to prevent
movement and to abnormally increase
weight to produce as many pounds as
possible of unnaturally tender and
musclelcss flesh.
Veal calves arc also deprived of
drinking water. In a futile attempt to
quench their thirst, the calves gain
weight quickly by drinking more of
their milky liquid feed.
Hytrck also states that “you don’t
know what it’s like to stuff pills down
a sick calf’s throat and give it shots.”
These pills and shots would be totally,
unnecessary if the calf were given
actual mother’s milk, which provides
the young calf with antibodies which
protect him from disease. But the
“milk-replacer” is designed to speed
weight gain and to cause anemia, all
for the purpose of producing “white”
and “tender” flesh for fancy restau
rants. In addition, straw bedding is
denied because itcontains iron and, if
eaten, would darken the flesh.
I certainly can understand that
Hytrek is upset over the negative
exposure that has been given to veal
production — it is one of the more
prominent humane issues at this time
and has garnered much public sym
pathy on a national level. But he
needs to understand that this type of
production will not be tolerated by
the public when they are fully aware
of it, and a change is in order.
And we realize that we can no
more harbor stereotypes of farmers
than farmers can harbor stereotypes
BEFORE HE CAN FOLLOW
HIS DREAMS, HE'S GOT 10
FOLLOW THE RULES.
Selective Service Registration.
It's Quick. It's Easy. Ana It's The Law. _
of vegetarians and animal-rights
advocates,
Marcia Andersen
coordinator
Nebraska Vegetarian Society
Defender of veal
falls short, nitpicks
in his retaliation
The overly defensive letter attack
ing Adam Hodges (letter to the editor,
DN, Oct. 10) for urging a veal boycott
needs clarification. In his zeal to re
taliate against Hodges, Nick Hytrek
responded to charges that were never
made against him (letter to the editor,
DN, Oct. 16). Hodges did not charge
Hytrek with being “a hick”; he didn’t
even charge him with cruelty, unless
Hytrek wishes to confess. What were
you so defensive about Nick? Your
guilty conscience?
Hodges gave dimensions of 22
inches by 58 inches for veal crates
and delineated some of the hardships
thisputon veal calves. Hytrek whined
that those measurements arc adequate
for a baby calf. Perhaps that is true,
but the thing is calves grow (maybe
“farmer” Hytrek didn’t know that?).
Hodges was right in all he wrote.
Hytrek sure nitpickcd about “tak
ing calves away from their mothers
immediately after birth.” Oh, “It is
very important that the cow lick off
the calf first,” he said in negations of
that charge. Gee, really? So who is it
that we arc defining “immediately”
here? Within three seconds,one hour,
one day. Some difference, buster.
OK, OK, Hodges could have been
a little more clear in his letter by
specifying that factory farms and not
independent farmers arc performing
the worst cruelty to animals in veal
operations.
I have written statements concern
ing the vicious treatment of animals
in factory farms from people who
have worked in them. 1 won’t get
space for the whole list, so I’ll give
you just these: a worker helping to
lead veal calves from their crates onto
trucks testified that the calves could
not walk properly and were crudely
dragged by other employees, and that
skin and all sometimes went with the
too-tight, grown-in chains when they
were jerked from the calves necks.
If there are “government regula
tions regarding sanitation and venti
lation in barns where a commercial
product is produced,” Hytrek, they
are worthless or not enforced. There
are no laws protecting farm animals
as there are laws to protect pets. Farm
animals arc specifically excluded from
the federal Animal Welfare Act.
Hytrek wrote, “We take care of
our animals as if they were our own
children.” Damn lucky thing for any
potential offspring of his that he won’t
be able to get 50 cents a pound for
them.
Hytrek, who do you think you’re
fooling, saying “Any death is a sad
incident, not only because of the loss
of potential profit, but because of the
loss of a life.” I’m not stupid enough
to think that your care about any “loss
of life” when an animal dies in your
barn, if you don’t care (and you don’t)
when you load animals in trucks for
their last ride to the packing plant.
Apparently, the truth is that you don't
care at all about “loss of life” when
you’re making money from it.
People, I’m giving you credit for
not knowing the crimes against na
ture committed in factory farming. I
think that if you knew you would
care. Even if I’m wrong about that,
here’s something sure to impress
anyone: the antibiotics routinely fed
to animals in factory farms end up in
your dinner.
There’ll be no one producing veal
if we refuse to eat it. If enough of us
complain, UNL residence halls won’t
serve it.Thinkabout it. Will you fight
this cruelly/health hazard? You can
make a difference.
Fran Thompson
junior
sociology
k Our 20th \
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I Ecology Now member, student
disagree on group’s actions
■ Rod Hansen’s letter about Ecology Now
■ (letter to the editor, DN, Oct. 25) showed how
■ little he really understands about Ecology Now
B and the realities of corporate America.
■ “Coors has made some mistakes.” Yes, they
9 have, Rod. If they can correct them (i.e. as in it
H is financially feasible to correct them) they
■ will, and they will milk all the public relations
9 they can out of it. The problems w ith Coors and
9 most of corporate America is their own greed
Hf blinds them to the ramifications of their own
H overproduction. This isn ’t true of all corpora
B tions, nor do I think all people working for the
9 Ctxirs corporation are guilty of this error. The
H point is why should people who have the power
8 to make the changes in their company (and
B have been slow to start said changes) be given
9 prestigious honors like being made keynote
B speakers? When such changes have been cf
■ fecial, sure, give them the forum to speak out,
8 tell how they corrected their own mistakes.
8 Kissing up to them,just because of their wealth
B and position won’t change a damn thing.
8 Corporate leaders aren’t monsters. They
ffl just don’t seem to care a great deal about
9 anything that may make them alter the way
M they do things. I’m glad you were able to have
8 a good conversation with Mr. Coors. I’ll be
B interested to sec when (if ever) he directs his
fl corporate agenda to the concerns you expressed.
B I hope for our future he does.
B I’m also rather stunned at how little back
B ground you seem to have on Ecology Now.
m Sure, the group has been involved in many
B protests, but they have done many things bc
B sides protests. You’re completely in the dark
B about things that this group has done. Well and
B fine that the UNL Wifdlilc Club did a cleanup.
B I hope they do more. Ecology Now has con
B dueled numerous cleanups in the last year. We
B just saw no reason to make public our efforts.
B Cooper Park was not an Ecology Now event!
8 1 realize some people Irom the group w'ere
9 involved so I will address this issue. The pro
8 test at Cooper Park was a mixture of both
8 environmental and political protest. It wasciti
8 zens from across the community trying to make
9 a point and get the Lincoln City Council to
8 listen to them. The protest was evidence of the
B people in power, corporate and political, ignor
ing and avoiding the issues brought up by the
citizens of the Lincoln community.
Strange you should mention that the hours
spent at Cooper Park could have been used to
plant trees in a desolate area. Last spring
numerous members of Ecology Now spent
Easter weekend in Smiley Canyon in Fort
Robinson Stale Park planting thousands of
trees in this fire-damaged area.
If you really want corporations, or the gov
ernment, to listen to our concerns about the
future of our planet, then we have to make
ourselves heard. The only way that anything
will really change is if we make the little
people, those who vote for politicians, those
whose money buys a company’s product, real
ize that it is our right and obligation to send a
clear, no-nonsense message to the people in
control of our country. I f this means protest, so
be it. I’d bet if you went to Peter Coors today
and asked him what concerns you had ex
pressed to him after his speech, he probably
wouldn't remember. You can only get so far
listening to these corporate flunkies, Rod. Actions
speak louder than words. Never once in your
letter did you express w hat Mr. Coors has done
to protect the environment. I haven 't heard that
they have stopped producing their products so
it is a good bet they arc still out there damaging
the environment. What plans do they have?
How soon are they going to implement it? Are
they w illing to part with some profits to protect
the environment? Arc they willing to cut back
production to a level that they can cope w ith?
Is Peter losing sleep over this? I strongly doubt
it.
My impression of you is that you arc truly
concerned with environmental issues. Instead
of portraying Ecology Now as a bunch of glory
hounds w ho are unwil ling to gel our hands dirty
with positive action, why don’t you make an
effort to join with us? The race to save our
planet is on, and it doesn’t make sense to waste
time in arguing with those who have similar
goals.
James A. Zank
junior
arts and sciences