Cows may produce milk for two, even three years when nursing their calves. In the absence of the calf, they dry up earlier. To keep the milk flowing cows (and buffaloes) are artificially inseminated within 2-3 months of giving birth. The animal has to produce milk while pregnant. As a result, she is spent after about 4 pregnancies and must be retired (slaughtered). The average natural life span of a cow is 26-27 years yet today most live no more than 6-8 years.

In many states of India, cow slaughter is forbidden but keeping an animal that is non-productive is unaffordable. These animals are clandestinely slaughtered without stunning or are transported under abysmal conditions to distant slaughterhouses and often slaughtered in front of one another. As long as we continue to exploit the cow for her milk and hide and other body products this slaughter will not stop.