Ryan Anguilm and his son, William, enjoy working together with the rest of their family, raising starter calves for Midwest Veal, LLC in northern Indiana. ( Maureen Hanson/Dairy Herd Management )
The dairy industry’s reinvented cousin is the veal business, an entity staging an exciting second act after years of decline. And like the phoenix that rose from the ashes in Greek mythology, it is poised to come back stronger and smarter than before.
If you’re a dairy producer who candidly admits that you don’t know a lot about veal, that’s okay. But you should. You might play a role in the veal production chain, and you definitely benefit from the industry’s existence.
“Veal is the sustainability role model in animal agriculture,” said Dale Bakke, Director of Technical Services for Strauss Veal Feeds, Watertown, Wis., and President of the American Veal Association. “We take dairy bull calves that have little value in the rest of the dairy production chain, feed them co-products from dairy manufacturing, and turn them into a highly nutritious, premium food product, plus luxurious calfskin leather from the hides. It’s the ultimate upcycling story.”