Reuters, Tuesday July 18, 2000

Utica, NY (Reuters/Zogby) - Knowing how calves are raised for the veal market was enough to put more than half of Americans off of veal, according to the latest Zogby America poll.

In the telephone survey, people were asked how likely they would be to eat veal knowing that calves raised for the veal market are taken from their mothers shortly after birth, put into a pen nor larger than a crate so they cannot move and fed liquid diet designed to keep their flesh pale.

Of the 1,264 adults polled, 50.2% said how the calves were raised was enough of a concern to turn them away from veal vs. 45.2% who said they were indifferent to how calves were raised.

A majority of Republicans (52.2%) said it made no difference, compared with 38.3% of Democrats and 42.4% of independents. At the same time, a majority (64%) of African-Americans were less likely to eat veal after knowing how the calves are raised, as were 62.8% of Hispanics, but only 47.8% of whites.

A majority of women (61.4%) would not eat veal after learning how calves were raised compared with 38.1% of the men surveyed.

What we asked:

Male dairy calves are taken from their mothers shortly after birth, put into a pen no larger than a crate so they cannot move, which is designed to keep their flesh soft and tender, and fed a liquid diet, designed to keep their flesh pale in color. Does knowing how veal calves are raised make you much more likely, more likely, less likely, or much less likely to eat veal, or does it make no difference?