Loughborough University computer scientists have developed AI tools that offer insights into how greenhouse gas emissions associated with UK livestock farming and land use can be reduced.

The tools – which are hosted on an online digital platform and created as part of research funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) – aim to provide farmers, farming organisations, and government bodies with valuable data on how changes in livestock practices and land use can help the UK achieve its 2050 net zero goal.

Developed by a team led by Professor Baihua Li and Professor Qinggang Meng, key features of the platform include machine learning models designed to estimate methane emissions from livestock farming, predict milk productivity and ammonia emissions from dairy farms, and analyse how land use and environmental factors influence methane emissions across the UK.

Related: what is Bovaer milk and why are UK consumers dumping it? 

“Our mission is to bridge the gap between innovation and practicality, offering a platform that supports data-driven decisions to combat climate change, advance sustainable farming, and achieve global net-zero emissions goals”, said Professor Li.

“By harnessing AI, our platform can offer data-driven insights that can help forecast future emissions based on a diverse range of data, giving stakeholders actionable intelligence to make cost-effective proactive decisions.”

Achieving net zero by 2050 requires balancing greenhouse gas emissions with their removal and storage in ‘carbon sinks’ – natural systems like forests, oceans, plants, and soil that absorb more carbon than they release.

Livestock farming plays a dual role, contributing to greenhouse gas emission – particularly methane and nitrous oxide, two potent heat-trapping gases – while also affecting the land’s ability to function as a carbon sink through grazing, feed production, and pasture management.

Reducing farming’s environmental impact is challenging, as emissions, carbon storage, and farm productivity are shaped by multiple interacting factors, such as animal breed, feed, pasture, and climate. These vary across farms, making a one-size-fits-all approach ineffective.

Related: Accelerate 2050 conference and AI for Good

Beyond livestock farming, land use itself significantly influences emissions. Different types of land – such as agricultural, woodlands, or urban areas – interact with environmental factors to determine how much methane is released or absorbed. Understanding these complex interactions is essential for identifying the best strategies to minimise emissions.

The Loughborough University AI models provide a solution. Trained on diverse livestock and environmental datasets, they analyse how various factors interact to impact emissions, providing farm-level and nation-wide insights that can help shape strategies to support the UK’s net zero goal.

The AI tools developed for livestock farms allow farmers to input details about their specific animals and practices to estimate their current annual greenhouse gas emissions. Farmers can easily explore potential changes to their practices – simply by selecting options from drop-down menus or entering variable values. These adjustments provide immediate insights into their potential impact on both emissions and farm productivity.

One tool is designed specifically for dairy farmers, helping them estimate how their current practices affect individual cow milk yield and ammonia levels in waste. Monitoring ammonia is crucial, as it interacts with soil microbes to produce nitrous oxide and may also indicate dietary imbalances. This development was made possible through the support of the National Bovine Data Centre and the Cattle Information Service.

Another tool, developed for beef farmers, predicts methane emissions for individual cows based on farm-specific data. It also helps farmers understand emissions in context by offering relatable comparisons—such as the number of trees needed to offset a cow’s annual emissions, the equivalent emissions from flights between London and New York, or the months of energy use in an average UK household.

The team has also developed a livestock emissions calculator based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines, the global standard for climate reporting. Suitable for farmers worldwide, it simplifies complex government formulas and presents them in a user-friendly format, helping farmers compare their emissions to official baselines.

Creating a Digital twin

Beyond farm-level tools, the research team has harnessed artificial intelligence to develop a user-friendly, web-based platform – referred to as a ‘digital twin’ – to provide detailed insights into how different types of land use affect methane emissions across the UK.

The digital twin features heatmaps of ruminant livestock distribution, land cover types (such as agriculture, urban areas, and woodland), and methane emission concentrations across the UK. It integrates real-time satellite methane observations from Sentinel-5P TROPOMI, AI models, datasets, and various intuitive visualisation tools.

Users can adjust parameters such as location, land cover percentages, seasons, and years to track historical changes and model future emission scenarios based on climate and land use projections.

The Loughborough team has analysed the UK’s methane emissions using the digital twin with early findings – intended for future publication in a peer-reviewed journal– indicating that methane emissions have been increasing year after year. Agriculture arable land and improved grassland used for livestock farming have also been identified by the researchers as key contributors, closely linked to methane hotspots.

It is hoped the tool will be used by policymakers, government bodies, and farming organisations to deepen understanding of how environmental factors influence emissions and enable data-backed decisions to be made to reduce emissions.

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We love Dr. Bronner’s sustainable and regenerative chocolate. Chocolate lovers are always on the lookout for new and exciting flavors, and camel milk chocolate is quickly gaining attention as a delicious and sustainable alternative to traditional dairy-based chocolates. But what makes camel milk chocolate special? Where can you buy it? And why is camel milk considered a more sustainable choice? Let’s explore.

What Does Camel Milk Chocolate Taste Like?

Camel milk chocolate has a distinct flavor that sets it apart from regular cow’s milk chocolate. It is often described as being creamier, with a slightly salty and caramel-like undertone. The natural sweetness of camel milk allows for reduced sugar content in chocolate, making it a healthier option for those looking to cut back on added sugars.

Additionally, it lacks the strong aftertaste that goat’s milk chocolate can have, making it an appealing choice for those seeking something new yet familiar.

Why Is Camel Milk More Sustainable?

Lower Environmental Impact – Camels require significantly less water than cows, making them a more sustainable option in arid and drought-prone regions. They can thrive in desert environments where other dairy-producing animals would struggle, reducing the need for artificial irrigation.

No Need for Intensive Farming – Unlike large-scale dairy farms that often contribute to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, camels can be raised in natural desert ecosystems without destroying native flora and fauna.

Nutritional Benefits – Camel milk is rich in vitamins and minerals, including iron, vitamin C, and B vitamins, while being lower in fat and lactose than cow’s milk. This makes it a suitable alternative for those with lactose intolerance or those looking for a more nutrient-dense dairy source.

Where to Buy Camel Milk Chocolate

If you’re curious to try camel milk chocolate, several brands and retailers offer this unique treat:

Al Nassma (UAE) – One of the pioneers in camel milk chocolate, offering a variety of flavors including whole milk, dark chocolate, and nut-infused varieties. Available online and in select luxury stores worldwide.

Dubai-based chocolate shops – Many specialty confectioners in the UAE sell camel milk chocolate, making it a must-try if you visit the region.

Amazon and Online Specialty Stores – Some online marketplaces offer camel milk chocolate for international delivery.

Local Health Stores and Gourmet Shops – Some high-end or organic stores may stock camel milk chocolate, particularly in regions that promote sustainable and ethical food choices.

Can camel milk work in a keto diet?

Camel milk can be considered keto-friendly in moderation. One cup of full-cream camel milk contains approximately:

• 100 calories
• 5g protein
• 8g carbohydrates
• 5g total fat
• 3g saturated fat

Since the ketogenic diet typically limits daily carbohydrate intake to 20-50g per day, camel milk’s 8g of carbs per cup may fit within that range if consumed in moderation. However, compared to other keto-friendly dairy alternatives like almond milk (which has fewer carbs), camel milk is on the higher end in terms of carbohydrate content. If you’re strictly following a keto diet, it’s best to use camel milk sparingly or opt for a lower-carb alternative.

The post Camel Milk Chocolate: A Unique and Sustainable Treat appeared first on Green Prophet.

DairyX is successfully crafting next-gen teasty casein micelles using precision fermentation

DairyX Foods Ltd. announces a major advancement in creating authentic milk proteins without cows, using precision fermentation. The food-tech start-up has developed a method to produce casein proteins that can self-assemble into micelles. Micelles are the primary building blocks of dairy products, such as cheese and yogurt.  

DairyX has also refined a complementary technology to enhance the gelation of its casein micelles, considered the holy grail of the industry. DairyX’s gelating micelles enable manufacturers to produce firm, stretchy and creamy products using their traditional dairy-making processes.

Creating a smarter casein with precision fermentation 

Consumers can’t resist dairy’s taste and robust health benefits. Casein micelles are key to the appealing sensory profile of dairy products. 

DairyX’s precision fermentation technology uses microorganisms (specifically yeast) to produce smart casein proteins. “Not all caseins produced using precision fermentation are alike,” explains Maya Bar-Zeev, PhD, Head of Product Development and Downstream Processing. “We trained yeast to produce the next generation of casein. DairyX’s patent-pending casein is an advanced form created to precisely and effectively organize into micelles.” 

“The industry knows quite well that caseins are extremely hard to produce using precision fermentation, so our initial goal was to solve this problem. Once we successfully crafted caseins, the next major challenge was to upgrade caseins so they could self-assemble into gelating micelles to produce the dairy properties manufacturers are seeking,” explains DairyX CEO and founder Arik Ryvkin, PhD. 

Currently, manufacturers of animal-free dairy products use additives, like stabilizers, emulsifiers and thickeners, which don’t perform as well as cow’s milk and can add unpleasant aftertastes. These fail to satisfy consumer cravings for a real dairy experience.

“DairyX caseins have amino acid sequences identical to those of their animal counterparts, making them, in fact, non-genetically modified,” explains Galit Kuznets, Head of Strain Development and Fermentation. “Our casein also eliminates the need for hormones and antibiotics applied in dairy farms. 

For consumers, taste and price are dairy’s two most important features. DairyX addresses taste with its innovative caseins while also making non-animal dairy affordable. The company is creating yeast strains that produce exceptionally high casein yields in short timeframes. This approach ensures that DairyX’s ingredients are cost-effective – a crucial factor for adoption by dairy manufacturers. 

One of the reasons BeyondMeat hasn’t taken off widely with consumers and its sales sluggish is the price point – the vegan burgers are 3 or 4 times the cost of real beef. That and the burgers leave an awful lot of coconut aftertaste and a bit of havoc on the stomach.

“Another significant challenge that dairy companies face is adapting their production facilities to use new ingredients,” Bar-Zeev explains. “This is why we created a drop-in replacement for milk that does not require process changes or retooling.”

Worldwide, 270 million cows spend their lives in the production of dairy products. Not only does this impact the cows, it also harms the environment. Dairy production is responsible for over 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses excessive farmland and water. Totally eliminating cow’s milk as a food source is not practical, so DairyX is devoted to lowering the dairy industry’s dependence on traditional milk as a raw ingredient. Doing so promotes sustainability, improved animal welfare, and the use of precious land and water for better causes.

Founded in 2022, DairyX investors include: Peregrine Ventures, Jesselson, Phibro Animal Health Corporation, the Israel Innovation Authority and Incentive – Peregrine’s Incubator. The company has signed a letter of intent with CSM Ingredients and several other dairy partners.

Israel is the biggest consumer of vegan food by capita. And one of the world centers for cultivating meat and dairy alternatives. Read more here.

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Are you among those who have a love-hate relationship with cow’s milk? From childhood memories of milk mustaches to adult debates over health impacts, cow’s milk has been a staple in many diets. But how beneficial is it for human consumption? Let’s break down the pros and cons so you can make an informed choice. The team at Mike Hammer Moving swears by it, but is it the right choice for you?

Nutritional Benefits

Cow’s milk is packed with essential nutrients. It’s a rich source of calcium, which is vital for strong bones and teeth. Additionally, it provides protein, which is crucial for muscle growth and repair. The vitamins in cow’s milk, such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, and riboflavin, contribute to overall health and wellness.

But that’s not all. Cow’s milk also contains potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure, and phosphorus, which plays a role in energy production. These nutrients make cow’s milk a powerhouse for those looking to maintain a balanced diet.

However, it’s essential to consume it in moderation. While these nutrients are beneficial, too much of anything can be harmful.

Bone Health

One of the primary benefits of consuming cow’s milk is its positive impact on bone health. Calcium and vitamin D, found abundantly in cow’s milk, are critical for maintaining bone density and preventing osteoporosis.

Regular consumption of cow’s milk during childhood and adolescence can lead to stronger bones in adulthood. This is particularly crucial for individuals at risk of bone-related issues, such as the elderly or those with a family history of osteoporosis.

But remember, while cow’s milk can support bone health, it should be part of a varied diet that includes other calcium-rich foods like leafy greens and fortified plant-based milk.

Convenience and Availability

Cow’s milk is widely available and affordable. It’s a staple in grocery stores, making it easy for consumers to incorporate it into their diets. Whether you’re looking for whole milk, skim milk, or lactose-free options, there’s something for everyone.

The convenience of cow’s milk extends beyond just drinking it. It’s a versatile ingredient used in cooking and baking, from creamy soups to fluffy pancakes. Its availability and versatility make it a go-to choice for many households.

However, the convenience of cow’s milk should not overshadow the importance of considering individual dietary needs and preferences.

Lactose Intolerance and Digestive Issues

Not everyone can enjoy cow’s milk without experiencing discomfort. Lactose intolerance is a common condition where individuals lack the enzyme lactase, needed to digest lactose, the sugar found in milk. This can lead to symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

For those with lactose intolerance, consuming cow’s milk can be a challenging experience. Fortunately, there are lactose-free options available, which provide the same nutritional benefits without the digestive discomfort.

It’s crucial to listen to your body and choose alternatives if cow’s milk doesn’t agree with you. Plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, or oat milk, can be excellent substitutes.

Health Concerns

While cow’s milk offers numerous benefits, there are potential health concerns to be aware of. Some studies suggest that high consumption of cow’s milk may be linked to an increased risk of certain health conditions, such as heart disease and certain cancers.

The saturated fat content in whole milk can contribute to elevated cholesterol levels, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Additionally, some research indicates that excessive dairy intake might be associated with an increased risk of prostate and ovarian cancers.

However, it’s important to note that these studies are not conclusive. Moderation and a balanced diet are key to minimizing potential health risks.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations

The environmental impact of dairy farming is another factor to consider. Dairy farming contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and land degradation. The carbon footprint of producing cow’s milk is significantly higher than that of plant-based milk alternatives.

Ethical concerns related to animal welfare are also prevalent in the dairy industry. Issues such as the treatment of cows and the separation of calves from their mothers raise questions about the ethical implications of consuming cow’s milk.

Additionally, water pollution is a significant environmental issue linked to dairy farms. Dairy farms generate large volumes of wastewater containing manure, chemicals, and other pollutants that can contaminate local water supplies if not properly managed. This pollution can lead to the degradation of aquatic ecosystems, harm to wildlife, and potential health risks to humans. To address these issues, dairy farms can adopt several strategies for effective wastewater treatment. For more detailed information and solutions tailored to dairy farms, read this article on Dairy Wastewater Treatment.

For environmentally conscious and ethically minded individuals, exploring plant-based milk alternatives can be a way to align dietary choices with personal values.

Conclusion

The debate over cow’s milk is multifaceted, with strong arguments on both sides. From its nutritional benefits and positive impact on bone health to potential health risks and environmental concerns, cow’s milk presents a complex picture.

Ultimately, the decision to consume cow’s milk should be based on individual needs, preferences, and values. Whether you’re a fan of traditional cow’s milk or prefer plant-based alternatives, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

Next time you’re sipping on your favorite beverage, remember to consider what’s best for you. The team at Mike Hammer Moving might love their daily dose of cow’s milk, but your choice should reflect your unique dietary needs and lifestyle.

The post The Milky Debate: Is Cow’s Milk a Friend or Foe for Humans? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Each time you sit down to eat a meal with meat products, do you ever take a minute to think about what it took to get this food on your plate? Every year, 70 billion land animals are slaughtered for consumption worldwide. While many organizations and law enforcement across the globe work to ensure the slaughter of animals is done without inflicting pain on the animals, it is nearly impossible to ensure that all slaughterhouses are following these rules. In addition, slaughtering animals in general is an inhumane practice and is done for the sole purpose of feeding us. However, the cultivated meat industry and specifically lab meat is taking the world by storm and may be the end of animal slaughter.

What is lab-cultivated meat?

Lab-grown or cultivated meat uses animal cells to grow meat in a lab as an alternative to slaughter. Labs growing cultivated meat take animal cells from a live, healthy animal in a harmless skin sample. This innovative way of producing meat was originally concocted in the early 2000s but was brought to media attention in 2013 when a cultivated meat patty was tried at a conference in London for a lump sum of money. Later Singapore was the first country to begin sales of cultured meat.

Israel is one of the leaders in the cultivated meat industry. In 2020, the company SuperMeat opened a restaurant in Tel Aviv called “The Chicken” which offered a cultivated chicken burger to see if their customers noticed the difference. Other Israeli companies developing cultivated meat are Aleph Farms and Believer Meats.

Environmental impact

A carnivore diet takes a major toll on one’s carbon footprint. In fact, meat makes up 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. Beef is the world’s most detrimental food product in carbon emissions due to methane production which makes up 32% of greenhouse gas emissions.

After the livestock has been slaughtered, there are additional greenhouse gases that go into the atmosphere from the transportation of livestock, processing in factories, and then the packaging of the final product. In total, the entire process, from the initial raising of livestock to the final destination of stocking groceries stores is a constant carbon dump.

Deforestation is also a major problem when it comes to livestock farming. Much of the land livestock is raised on has been deforested for the sole purpose of raising more and more cattle. In addition, the constant grazing of livestock diminishes grassland productivity to the point where grass can no longer grow. Eventually, farmers need to revert to unconventional methods of crop irrigation by using polluting fertilizers so livestock can be raised.

And don’t forget about the extensive water use that goes into farming. It takes 1,799 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef. This comes from the keeping of land, cleaning, and drinking requirements of the cattle. Especially in the heat of summer and in bad drought conditions, water use can exceed a considerable amount and massively increase the amount of water needed to grow livestock.

Is lab meat kosher?

There has been much speculation on the increasing popularity of cultivated meat in Israel. Especially for religious Jews and Rabbis who keep kosher, many are questioning the reliability of the industry.

For meat to be kosher, the animal must be in good health, killed a certain way, drained of its blood, and salted. In addition, only certain parts of an animal can be consumed. All these parts of keeping kosher in relation to meat make the discussion of cultivated meat more complicated.

However, back in January of this year, the Chief Rabbi of Israel, Rabbi David Lau declared that the steak made from Aleph Farms is kosher, marking a monumental decision in the cultivated meat industry. He claimed that because the meat was grown instead of slaughtered, the meat is not actually meat, and can be thought of like a vegetable. Because the meat does not contain milk nor dairy and no blood from an animal, Rabbi David Lau declared it to be parve. Dozens of other rabbis from the Tzohar Rabbinical Organization have also called cultivated meat kosher.

While Rabbi Lau’s ruling is particularly for the meat produced in Aleph Farms, it is still unsure if all cultivated meat can be considered kosher as there needs to be a careful inspection at all cultivated meat companies and they need to be certified to be kosher. In addition, many may argue that it is not kosher as cultivated meat has animal origins as it is derived from animal cells.

Rabbi Genack from the Orthodox Union Kosher Division has questioned the reliability of cultivated meat being kosher as he has said that even microscopic specimens of cells derived from a living animal would not be considered kosher. In order for the meat to be kosher, the cells need to be taken from a kosher slaughtered animal.

Another aspect of the cultivated meat industry is the question of how Orthodox Jews can keep their legitimacy when choosing meals to ensure they don’t sin on Jewish law. Rabbi Yonathan Neril from The Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development is an environmental advocate for cultivated meat.

While he believes that in itself lab-grown meat is kosher, it should not be mixed with dairy. According to Neril who tells Green Prophet: “If Jews start eating lab-grown meat with cow’s cheese, then they might come to mistakenly eat cow’s meat with cow’s cheese, which would be a violation of Jewish law.”

Neril insists that Jews mixing cultivated meat with normally derived cheese can fray on the principle of marit ayin, which is when the action of an observant Jew may seem unkosher when in actuality it is.

This term is coined by the judgment of others’ skepticism; the Jew is technically adhering to the law. However, Rabbi Neril added, “If lab-grown meat and lab-grown cheese replace animal meat and animal cheese in mainstream consumption, then it could be that over time, it would no longer be a problem in Jewish law to eat the lab-grown meat and lab-grown cheese together.”

Earth or Tradition?

Unfortunately what this means for the kosher community is one’s own personal opinion. With the current emergencies that face our climate, it is important to consider the environmental benefits of choosing cultivated meat. The environmental advantage of cultivated meat is enormous and can massively decrease global greenhouse gases. In addition, kosher law requires slaughter, which is devastating in itself.

The final decision is still in the hands of Jews, which reflects the ideals of modernity. Is it time we update the traditional laws of Judaism and put what’s facing us in the climate first in line? Are Orthodox Jews willing to sacrifice what’s traditional for the sake of our planet?

The post Is lab meat kosher? appeared first on Green Prophet.

Ben-Gurion University in Israel has successfully manipulated a cow’s microbiome for the first time. By learning to control the microbiome, scientists can prevent cows from emitting methane, one of the most serious greenhouse gases. Prof. Itzhak Mizrahi’s findings were published late last month in Nature Communications.

The microbiome is an underexplored area scientifically, yet it exerts great control over many aspects of animal and human physical systems. Microbes begin to be introduced at birth and produce a unique microbiome which then evolves over time.

Mizrahi and his group have been running a three-year experiment with a group of 50 cows. The cows were divided into two groups. One group gave birth naturally, and the other gave birth through cesarean section. That difference was enough to change the development and composition of the microbiome of the cows from each group.

This finding essentially enabled the development of an algorithm to predict the microbiome development: an algorithm that will predict how the microbiomes evolve over time based on its present composition together with Prof. Eran Halperin’s group at UCLA in the United States.

“Now that we know we can influence the microbiome development, we can use this knowledge to modulate microbiome composition to lower the environmental impact of cows on our planet by guiding them to our desired outcomes,” says Mizrahi.

Prof. Mizrahi has investigated the microbiome of cows, fish and other species to prepare us for a world shaped by climate change. Reducing methane emissions from cows will reduce global warming. Engineering healthier fish, which is another of Mizrahi’s projects, is especially important as the oceans empty of fish and aquaculture becomes the major source of seafood.

Prof. Mizrahi is a member of the Department of Life Sciences in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and a member of the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN). Earlier this year, he was awarded an ERC consolidator grant and a DIP grant.

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Sensational food production issues in Israel are covered by Green Prophet. These issues have included exposure of cruelty in the meat industry; frozen fish from China that  are pumped with water and Chemicals, and meat being fed with feces and pumped with toxic contaminants.

It now appears that the Chinese are not only adding chemicals to food products being sold in Israel.

The  controlling interest in the country’s largest food producing company, Tnuva, has just been bought by China’s Bright Food Consortium. The Chinese company has agreed to purchase 56 percent of dairy firm Tnuva from the
private equity house Apax.

The Chinese food giant will now have control of an Israeli food company that has been an iconic household word since even before the founding of the state in 1948.

Former Mossad head, Ephraim HaLevy, voiced his reservations of the sale to a local newspaper YNet, saying:  “the company buying Tnuva is owned by the Chinese government. This is not a company owned by a private Chinese businessman.  This allows the Chinese government to do make immediate decisions as it sees fit.”

How this Chinese acquisition may affect Israel’s largest dairy and food producer still remains to be seen. It could  result in a virtual flooding of the Israel food market by Chinese food products, some of which are of dubious quality.

This brings to mind the case of the previously mentioned frozen fish products that are “pumped with water and chemicals” to make the fish  appear fresher and of better quality. Everyone knows that China’s lax laws create products that smart consumers will not want to eat. Or perhaps they will export Israel’s high quality milk products to a growing appetite for such things in China. Either way when a foreign entity has control over a local food source we think that it cannot be good for local consumers.

Consider just local issues like this: Tnuva’s Adom Adom slaughterhouse in Beit Shean (photo) is still under scrutiny following adverse publicity it received for excessive animal cruelty following the Kolboteck TV exposure.

A large food producing icon company like Tnuva has a responsibility to the public it sells its products too. This should be even more  important than the profit motives on behalf of company directors. But we guess this is why Israeli activists were protesting the issues of food and housing in the summer of 2011.

Some commenters like David Rosenberg on Haaretz says that the public unwelcome of the Chinese buy out smacks of racism. They point out:

“But then again, the peanut-flavored snack Bamba is just as Israeli, and its maker, Osem, has been controlled by Switzerland’s Nestle since 2000. Telma Corn Flakes and Blue-Band margarine have been made by the Anglo-Dutch firm Unilever since it bought their Israeli manufacturer, also in 2000.”

We wonder how activists will respond to Tnuva products now.

Read more about Israel’s food issues:
Israel’s Cruel Meat Industry Exposed by Watchdog TV Show
Israeli Meat Fed With Feces and Pumped With Toxic Contaminants
Israel’s Frozen Fish Processed in China and Pumped With Water and Chemicals

Photo of Tnuva’s Adom Adom meat packing house by Yaron Kaminsky/Haaretz

The post China buys Israel’s largest food producer putting Zionists on edge appeared first on Green Prophet.

We urge you to peruse the fruits of Amalia’s landmark investigation, but in the meantime, we’ve digested a fast scorecard of the cowsheds, goat farms and a buffalo farm she visited in her quest to find dairy that can be consumed with a clear conscience.

Amalia arranged her story so that the dairy industry’s worst offenders appear first.

In so doing, she is able to delineate exactly what makes this business so unnatural and so inhumane so that once you reach Neot Semadar, the kibbutz whose goats receive the best treatment of them all, you’re emotionally invested in their relative freedom.

Ronen Bar from Anonymous for Animal Rights told Amalia that “reducing the suffering of animals” takes precedence over protecting their right to live a pain-free, natural life, and she unveils to what extent each facility is willing to forego profits in order to prevent the suffering of sentient beings in their care.

We followed Amalia’s extraordinary journey from enormous commercial cow sheds to boutique goat farms and pulled out some of the main differences between each facility, as outlined by Amalia.

Kibbutz Sa’ad

Near Gaza, this cowshed is home to Harata, a cow named regret who has produced 18,208 liters of milk in her life.

This facility separates calves from their mothers immediately. They are fed colostrum the first day to build up their immunity, after which they are fed cow milk for one week and then milk powder.

Allowing the calf to drink their mother’s milk poses a hygiene risk, so the argument goes.

This kibbutz uses a freeze brand to mark each cow, and prevents the growth of horns with an ointment that would kill the animal if it reached the brain.

Each dairy cow starts producing calves when they are roughly two years old and typically give birth to four each, through artificial insemination controlled by ‘genetic improvement’ that optimizes milk production.

Cows are not put out to pasture. In fact, not a single cow in all of Israel, according to Amalie, is put out to pasture.

Rosenberk & Ashkenazi Goat Farm

Northwest of Safed, this goat farm has 2,000 milk goats that are kept in giant, overheated hangars.

Kids are separated from their mothers immediately, which is so distressing to the mothers that they cry. They go through this four or five times in their lifetime.

Horns are shorn off using a serrated knife and soldering iron, which puts the animals into ‘crisis mode’ for an hour. During this time they sit in a corner, where they reject food until they are able to recover from the trauma of this painful experience.

The billie goats, as well as the mothers that perform poorly, are usually sold to the local Druze community for goat meat.

Harduf

This Galilee kibbutz is an organic dairy farm, where each cow produces on average about 10,500 liters of milk each year.

They are not branded and they are allowed to keep their horns and this is the only cowshed that Amalia encountered that gives expecting mothers a break so that they can gather strength to give birth. Other cows are fed antibiotics at this time.

For now, babies are taken from their mothers and fed colostrum the first day, but then for the next 70 days they are fed mother’s milk instead of powdered milk. After that they receive hay and silage grown on the grounds of Harduf.

No chemicals or hormones are used at all.

Eventually this kibbutz, which is staffed by men and women undergoing some kind of rehabilitation, hopes to experiment with allowing the mother to feed their babies after giving birth. While this would have both health and psychological benefits, there is a chance that the separation of the calf from its mother after two weeks might be more traumatic.

These cows are not put out to pasture because it’s too “hot.”

Moshav Bitzaron

East of Ashdod, this buffalo farm is run by a very compassionate family.

The buffalos are harder to control than cows, and therefore have an easier time. They are neither branded nor dispossessed of their horns.

They live twice as long as cows but their birth experience is distressing. Buffalo cows will spend three days in a similar crisis mode after they give birth and their babies are taken away from them, which poses a danger because they need to stand up and express their milk so that their uterus can shrink.

Baby buffaloes will refuse artificial teats if they so much as catch a whiff of their mother’s teat, and the male calves are sold to a slaughterhouse within three days.

They are given mother’s milk for three days, following which they are fed with with powdered milk for two months.

Neot Semadar

We have espoused the greatness of this desert kibbutz on several occasions, but we didn’t realize they are also rock star goat farmers.

240 Milk goats, 60 young females and 10 billies are given plenty of open space in which to roam each morning during the milking process. Thereafter they are put to pasture for two hours.

Since it is hot in the desert, this depletes the goat’s energy and therefore its milk production, but it’s a loss the kibbutz is willing to accept just to hear mama goat bleat and have her kids come running.

Their horns are not shorn off.

Still, only one quarter of the goats that are born are able to stay at the farm. The rest are sold to the local Arabs or Bedouins for meat.

And that’s a wrap. Please read Amalia’s full story here for a deeply illuminating look at the inner workings of Israel’s dairy industry. This is a surprising tale of supply and demand, which puts the cruelty and suffering almost squarely on the consumer’s shoulders.

Image credit: Goat udder being milked, Shutterstock

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