Cows raised for beef live for roughly two years, then they are sent to slaughterhouses, usually in trucks, which are exempt from animal welfare laws governing humane transport of animals. Crammed in as tightly as possible to save money, covered in their own waste, the cows suffer from heat stroke, disease, and when the weather is cold, freezing to the sides of the truck.

After undergoing this trial, thousands of cows every year are unable to walk to slaughter, no matter how many times they are shocked with a cattle prod. These cows are referred to by the industry as “downers,” and they are an accepted part of the business. The animals are not humanely euthanized; rather, because their carcases may still be used for meat, they are left to suffer for hours while business continues, or dragged to their deaths.

The cow shown here, like many downed animals, came from an industrialized dairy operation.

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