In the food industry, there are many types of meat that are marketed. Among those is meat of livestock that causes argument from different grades: the veal. Although this type of meat is nutritional and tasty, the way of feeding and marketing it still upsets many people.
As food
Veal could be meat from the calf of any sex or breed, but usually young male calves of dairies, for the females would be raised for milk.
It is nutritional and contains low fat level compared to other meats in the red meat and the list. So it is arranged as one of types in the white meat list. It is also soft with color from ivory to pink depend on types. The most popular veal form when serving is cutlet or fillet with sauce. This meat is used widely in culinary especially in Europe.
There is not only meat but also other parts of the calf are considered as delicacy in different areas.
Types of veal
Types of veal are distributed base on the age of the calves and could be from few weeks to few months.
- Bob: meat from under 1 month old calves.
- Milk-fed (or formula-fed veal): meat from 18-20 weeks old calves with milk replacer diet. This meat is in ivory or creamy pink color.
- Special-fed: meat from the same age of milk-fed calves, but the calves are fed with special diets include balanced-milk or soy-based which is fortified by many nutrients in order to increase the quality of the veal.
- Red veal or grain-fed (nonformula-fed veal): meat from calves from 22-26 weeks old with darker color. The diet of these calves is milk replacer to 6-8 weeks then corn-based.
- Rose (as in UK) or young beef (as in US): meat from 35 weeks old calves. Their meat is mostly in pink color and so is the name.
- Pasture-raised: meat from the older calves than young beef. The calves are usually fed by different diets include milk replacer, forages and grain. These calves usually will not receive antibiotic.
Among those above which are marketed, bob, milk-fed and special-fed are the most value types.
And humane
Although it is popular in many areas even important to the cuisines, the consuming of this meat is considered humane, especially for bob veal.
The calves which are raised for veal are mostly separated from their mother very soon, could be the same day they were born. Then they will be fed as the diets which are suitably for the veal industry. Many of them could not adapt to the industrial diets. Or a numbers which are not received the animal welfare as regulation.
That is why when this meat is marketed popularly, the argument and objection is also alongside with the consuming. However, this type of meat still runs an important part to many cuisines in the world.
