Olivia Rosane | EcoWatch
Police are investigating after an animal rights group released disturbing video footage showing workers mistreating calves at an Indiana farm that Food & Wine once dubbed the “Disneyland of agricultural tourism,” The Associated Press reported.
The Animal Recovery Mission (ARM) released the footage Tuesday after what they said was the “largest undercover dairy investigation in history” at Fair Oaks Farms in Fair Oaks, Indiana. The farm is one of the largest dairy farms in the U.S. and produces the Fairlife milk brand in conjunction with the Coca-Cola company, according to The Indianapolis Star. The farm is also a popular field trip destination and draws more than 600,000 visitors a year.
ARM Founder Richard Couto told The Indianapolis Star that the footage was taken by an undercover investigator who was hired by Fair Oaks as a calf caretaker at its Prairies Edge North Barn from August to November 2018.
“The abuse began day one, hour one,” Couto said.
This is what the investigator witnessed, according to the group's Facebook page:
Employees were observed slapping, kicking, punching, pushing, throwing and slamming calves; calves were stabbed and beaten with steel rebars, hit in the mouth and face with hard plastic milking bottles, kneed in the spine, burned in the face with hot branding irons, subjected to extreme temperatures, provided with improper nutrition, and denied medical attention. This resulted in extreme pain and suffering by the calves, and in some cases permanent injury and even death.
The investigation also confirmed that male calves were being sent to veal farms, despite the company's claims to the contrary.
The video prompted an immediate response.
