Dairy Facts

The amount of dairy cheese consumed by the U.S. population has steadily increased since the 1970s, and currently more than 70 pounds are consumed by each person every year. Ever wonder what, exactly, goes into all that cheddar, jack and Swiss?

Roughly one gallon of milk is required to make one pound of cheese.
Calves—the intended recipients of cows' milk—require only 16 pounds of milk per day, but the average dairy cow is forced to produce roughly 50 pounds of milk daily.

Cows naturally live to around age 25, but most dairy cows are slaughtered at age five, after their reproductive organs have failed to function due to severe abuse.
Female calves face the same future as their mothers—becoming dairy cows—and male calves are confined, intentionally malnourished, and slaughtered to make veal.

From : Sept/Oct 2008 VegNews page 79