Veal

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)

The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the discussion on the talk page.(March 2008) Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.

Veal is the meat of young calves (usually males of dairy cattle breeds). Compared to other meats, it has a delicate taste and tender texture.

Contents 1 Types 2 Culinary uses 3 Production 3.1 Housing 3.2 Feeding 4 Animal welfare 5 References 6 External links

Types

There are four types of veal:

• Bob Veal, from calves that are culled a few days after birth when they weigh 150 lb. (USA only)Calves and antibiotic residues
• Formula-Fed (or "milk-fed") veal, from calves that are raised on a nutritionally complete milk formula supplement. The meat colour is ivory or creamy pink, with a firm, fine and velvety appearance. Usually marketed as veal when they reach 18-20 weeks of age (450-500 lb). milk-fed veal definition
• Non-Formula-Fed ("red" or "grain-fed") Grain-Fed definition in Recommended Code of Practice for Raising Farm Animals veal, from calves that are raised on grain, hay or other solid food in addition to milk. The meat is darker in colour, and some additional marbling and fat may be apparent. Usually marketed as calf rather than veal at 5-6 months of age (650-700 lb).
• Rosé Veal UK is from calves reared on farms in association with the UK RSPCA\'s stringent Freedom Foods programme. Its name comes from its pink colour, which is a result of the calf\'s being culled aged around 8 months. The Appeal of Veal

Holstein bull calf

Veal is often compared to beef but is lighter in colour and finer in texture and veal usually comes from a (male) dairy calf.[http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/food_matters/veal.shtml BBC Food - Food matters - Is veal cruel?

The veal industry\'s support for the dairy industry goes beyond the purchase of surplus calves. It also buys large amounts of milk by-products. Almost 70% of veal feeds (by weight) are milk products. Most popular are whey and whey protein concentrate (WPC ) by-products of the manufacture of cheese. Milk by-products are sources of protein and lactose (energy). Skimmed milk powder, casein, buttermilk powder and other forms of milk by-products are used from time to time. Buttermilk is the liquid which remains after the fat in cream is turned into butter. Veal could be sold from the dairy case -Delft Blue

Culinary uses

Boneless veal cutlets

Veal has been an important ingredient in Italian and French cuisine since ancient times. The veal is often in the form of cutlets, such as the Italian cotoletta or the famous Austrian dish wiener schnitzel. As veal is lower in fat than many meats, care must be taken in preparation to ensure that it does not become tough.

In addition to providing meat, the bones of calves are used to make a stock that forms the base for sauces and soups such as demi-glace. The stomachs are also used to produce rennet, used in the production of cheese.

Production

Before the 1960s, milk-fed veal was raised primarily by the dairy farmer as a method of gaining some economic advantage from the many bull calves born each year that were not required for breeding. It was not long until the farmer found that raising this young animal and meeting the specific needs of the calf proved challenging in the midst of the mature cattle members of his herd.^{[citation needed]}

Early producers found that a separate micro-climate was the only means of raising a calf through the perils of early growth.^{[citation needed]} The growing stall was thus born. In the beginning these separated growing areas were almost totally enclosed. This was thought to curtail the spread of disease and provide a clean and comfortable environment in which the calf could flourish.^{[citation needed]} Mortality was reduced substantially and produced a high-class product.^{[citation needed]} As time and management philosophy developed the stall was changed. It became larger and more open.^{[citation needed]} The stall also provided an opportunity for individual handling of the calf,^{[citation needed]} which has been an important contribution to learn and understand the veal calf and its requirements.^{[citation needed]} However, many animal welfare activists oppose the use of these crates. Veal crates were banned in the UK (under the 1987 "Welfare of Calves Regulations" which came into effect in 1990)Barclay,C. (2000). Research paper 00/11. The Export of Farm Animals Bill. House of Commons, London. [1]. and throughout the European Union in 2007.

There has been some controversy in veal-raising methods over the years, including housing, use of antibiotics and hormones. In Europe, these issues have all been addressed.^{[citation needed]} In North America, there has been a general lag in these areas but there is no use of hormones now and use of antibiotics follows withdrawal guidelines.^{[citation needed]} This is actively monitored by government agencies.^{[citation needed]} The AVA ( American Veal Association) announced in 2007 a 10 year phasing out of "crates".Statement on American Veal Association\'s Veal Crate Announcement The tethering of calves in the USA was mostly due to economics as the cost of housing is reduced. This made veal raising viable for a family farming operation.^{[citation needed]}

In North America, there has been a recent move to more group housing,^{[citation needed]} although it has been used since 1981 in various forms.^{[citation needed]}

Housing

This article or section may present a limited, or distorted, point of view, by covering certain aspects to the exclusion of others. Please improve this article or discuss the issue on the talk page.

In North America, there are primarily three different types of housing used for veal calves: hutches, stalls, or various types of group housing. Learning more about Veal Calf housing

Hutches

Calf hutch

• Calves are kept in isolation from other calves when they are young and vulnerable to infectious disease.
• Hutches provide shelter from extremes in temperature and wind, and are usually bedded with fresh straw.
• Water is available at all times and the calves are fed two or three times a day with a milk replacer and sometimes free choice grain mix.
• Calves would normally be moved to a group setting in a few weeks when they are stronger and less likely to be vulnerable to disease.

Stalls

Calf stalls

• Feed intake can be monitored and adjusted on an individual basis.
• The amount of feed consumed provides an indication of the health of the calf as reduced intake is often one of the first signs of sickness.
• Individual attention can be paid to each calf and the stall itself provides protection for weaker calves against bullying.
• The feeding area is not able to be contaminated by other calves.

Group Housing

Milk fed Veal - Group housing in NY

• Feed intake can be monitored and controlled by use of an electronic tag.
• Calves can move around freely and socialize.
• Calves can choose rest areas where they feel most comfortable.

Feeding

Milk-fed veal calves consume a diet consisting of a milk replacer, formulated using all of mostly milk based proteins with added vitamins and minerals to provide a balanced nutritional solution. Calves would have access to water and often to some roughage such as coarse grains.

Grain-fed calves would normally consume a diet of milk replacer for the first 6-8 weeks. They would also have access to water and roughage such as hay during this time. The calves would then move on to a corn-based grain feed.

Animal welfare

Veal is still a controversial issue in terms of animal welfare.Rollin E. Farm Animal Welfare: Social, Bioethical, and Research Issues. Ames: Iowa State Press. 1995. There is adequate scientific evidence available to support complaints that despite careful management a significant proportion of "special-fed" calves will inevitably experience health problems including pneumonia,McFarlane JM, Morris, GL, Curtis, SE, et al. Some indicators of welfare of crated veal calves on three dietary iron regimens. J Anim Sci 1988;66:317-325Sargeant JM, Blackwell TE, Martin W, et al. Production practices, calf health and mortality on six white veal farms in Ontario. Can J Vet Res 1994;58:180-195. clinical anemia,Stull CL, McDonough SP. Multidisciplinary approach to evaluating welfare of veal calves in commercial facilities. J Anim Sci 1994;72:2518-2524. and stomach ulcers.Welchmen DD, Baust GN. A survey of abomasal ulceration in veal calves. Vet Rec 1987;121:586-590

Refinements such as group housinghttp://www.avma.org/onlnews/javma/sep07/070915r_pf.asp begin to address some complaints about veal raising such as the use of small stalls in which animals cannot socialize normally.Friend TH, Dellmeier GR, Gbur EE. Comparison of four methods of calf confinement. I, physiology. J Anim Sci 1985;60:1095-1101.Dellmeier GR, Friend TH, Gbur EE. Comparison of four methods of calf confinement. II. Behavior. J An Sci 1985;60:11-2-1109 In addition to not allowing calves to socialize normally, stalls prevent calves from being able to move. Though this method provides for tender veal due to lack of muscle usage,^{[citation needed]} it is considered by animal welfare advocates to be cruel. Many issues remain unresolved including practices relating to weaning, transportation, social grouping, feeding methodsAhmed AF, Constable PD, Misk NA. Effect of feeding frequency and route of administration on abomasal luminal pH in dairy calves fed milk replacer. J Dairy Sc 2002;85:1502-1508. and nutrition that continue to place stresses on calves that have demonstrably negative effects on their health and behavior.

Alternative agricultural practices for utilizing male dairy calves include raising Bob veal (immediate slaughter), raising as "red veal" without the severity of dietary restrictions needed to create pale meat (resulting in fewer antibiotic treatments and fewer culled calves),Sargeant JM, Blackwell TE, Martin W, et al. Production indices, calf health and mortality on seven red veal farms in Ontario. Can J Vet Res 1994;58:196-201. and as dairy beef.Maas J, Robinson PH. Preparing Holstein steer calves for the feedlot. Vet Clin Food Anim 2007;23:269-279

References

External links

Wikibooks Cookbook has an article on

Veal

• Veal Farm — Veal Industry in the USA.
• Ontario Veal Association — Ontario Veal Industry in Canada.
• Frequently Asked Questions of the American Veal Farming Industry
• Thinking Outside the Box — Dutch veal farming from Beef magazine.
• No Veal — Farm Sanctuary\'s anti-veal campaign.
• Veal Information Gateway — Veal calf raising and veal recipes.
• Veal Recipes — Veal recipes.
• The Economic Consequences of Adopting Alternative Production Systems to Veal Crates — The cost of abandoning veal crates, from the Humane Society of the United States

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia