Activist group: drop milk, pick up beer

In a controversial campaign aimed at colleges across the nation, an animal-rights organization has encouraged students to spill the milk and, instead, raise a glass beer.

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, known as PETA, have launched a Web site and media campaign in an effort to educate the public on the alleged harmful effects milk consumption may cause.

"Milk is definitely bad for your health," said PETA spokeswoman Morgan Leyh.  "It has been linked to heart problems, certain cancers and diabetes."

PETA's main "beef" is with the milk industry's exploitation of cows, which they say includes pumping dairy cows full of artificial growth hormones and antibiotics and keeping them constantly impregnated in an effort to increase milk production, Leyh said.

"They've turned cows into milk machines," Leyh said. "Their udders are sometimes so enlarged that they drag on the cement below."

The campaign was launched on St. Patrick's Day with a message for college students to put down the milk and grab a beer, which they contend has no artery-clogging cholesterol, saturated fat, sodium and artificial hormones.

PETA even contends that the hormone, known as bovine growth hormone, or  rBGH, can give men enlarged breasts.

However, those in the milk industry say the anti-dairy campaign is irresponsible and misleading.

"Milk is one of the most nutritious foods on earth," said Nancy Fletcher, California Milk Advisory Board director of communications.

Fletcher said PETA's message to avoid dairy intake could have serious health effects on the population and specifically the young, who she says are calcium deficient.

"Right now, we are in a calcium crisis," Fletcher said. "Nine out of 10 teenagers are not getting enough, and it's been proven that milk is a great source of calcium."

The calcium from dairy products has been linked to decreased cases of hypertension and colon cancer as well as osteoporosis, a crippling bone disease caused from lack of calcium, Fletcher said.

But PETA says the high-protein content in milk actually leaches calcium from the bones, creating more cases of osteoporosis. The United States, Norway and Sweden have the highest instances of the disease, while regions where dairy is not part of the culture, such as China and Japan, are "virtually osteoporosis-free," Leyh said.

PETA also stresses that they do not encourage excessive alcohol consumption.  Soy milk, rice milk and vegetables can serve as healthy alternatives to dairy products and contain high calcium contents.