Veal Totally Explained

Veal is the meat of young calves (usually male) appreciated for its delicate taste and tender texture.

Types

There are four types of veal:

Bob Veal, from calves that are slaughtered when only a few days to 150 lbs. (USA only)
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 lbs).
Non-Formula-Fed ("red" or "grain-fed") 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 lbs).
Rosé Veal UK is veal reared on farms in association with the UK RSPCA's stringent Freedom Foods program. It is called so due to its pink colour, which is a product of its being slaughtered aged around 8 months.

Veal is often compared to beef but is lighter in colour and finer in texture. Veal and beef, however have little in common. Veal usually comes from a (male) dairy calf.
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). Skim 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.

Nutrition

Veal is lean. In addition, it's low in sodium, and an excellent choice for sodium restricted diets.

Veal is a source of B-complex vitamins. Veal has the advantage that little of the vitamins are lost during preparation (cooking).

Veal contains very little fat, not more than 10 grams of fat per 100 grams, many of them unsaturated fats and because of this, veal is considered very lean.

Veal has a balanced amino acid profile containing "proteins of a high quality".

Veal is a good source of iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, fluoride, and zinc.

Culinary uses

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 doesn't 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 wasn't 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.
   Early producers found that a separate micro-climate was the only means of raising a calf through the perils of early growth. 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.
   Mortality was reduced substantially and produced a high-class product. As time and management philosophy developed the stall was changed. It became larger and more open. The stall also provided an opportunity for individual handling of the calf, which has been an important contribution to learn and understand the veal calf and its requirements. 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" act which came into effect in 1990) and throughout the European Union in 2007.
   There have 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. In North America, there has been a general lag in these areas but there are no use of hormones now and use of antibiotics follows withdrawal guidelines. This is actively monitored by government agencies. The housing issue is being addressed. .The AVA (American Veal Association) announced in 2007 the phasing out of "crates". 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.
   In North America, there has been a recent move to more group housing, although it has been used since 1981 in various forms.

Housing

In North America, there are primarily three different types of housing used for veal calves: hutches, stalls, or various types of group housing. Hutches

Calves are kept in isolation from other calves when they're 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're stronger and less likely to be vulnerable to disease. 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.

Indivudual attention can be paid to each calf and the stall itself provides protection for weaker calves against bullying.

The feeding area isn't able to be contaminated by other calves. Group Housing

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 nutritonal solutuion. 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. . There is also 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, clinical anemia and stomach ulcers.
Refinements such as group housing begin to address some complaints about veal raising such as the use of small stalls in which animals can't socialise normally. Many issues remain unresolved including practices relating to weaning, transportation, social grouping, feeding methods 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), and as dairy beef.

Popular culture

Veal is the subject of the South Park episode "Fun With Veal".

Marge Simpson disgusted a restaurant waiter by ordering the "Baby Guts," for example veal, in The Simpsons, episode 2F01, Itchy & Scratchy Land

External results

Click here for more details on Veal

External Link Exchanges

Do you know how hard it is to get a link from a large encyclopaedia? Well we're different and will prove it. To get a link from us just add the following HTML to your site on a relevant page:

<a href="http://veal.totallyexplained.com">Veal Totally Explained</a>

Then simply click through this link from your web page. Our crawlers will verify your link, extract the title of your web page and instantly add a link back to it. If you like you can remove the words Totally Explained and embed the link in article text.
As long as your link remains in place, we'll keep our link to you right here. Please play fair - our crawlers are watching. Your site must be closely related to this one's topic. Any kind of spamming, dubious practises or removing the link will result in your link from us being dropped and, potentially, your whole site being banned.