Subtle flavour, buttery soft texture
At the grocery store or butcher shop, there truly is nothing else like Ontario veal. Ontario produces both milk-fed and grain-fed veal, each with its own unique flavour profile. The milk-fed is light pink in colour, very tender with a subtle taste. Grain-fed veal is a darker pink, also very tender but with a mild beef flavour. In both cases Ontario veal tends to absorb the flavours it is cooked with making it the perfect canvas on which to paint your favourite seasonings and sauces.

More cuts, more methods, more choices
The possibilities are endless when it comes to Ontario veal. It has a vast assortment of available cuts that can be, among other things, grilled, sautéed, braised, roasted, slow-cooked and pan-fried. Because of its subtle character which tends to take on the flavours it is cooked with, Ontario veal is also a lean alternative in recipes calling for other meats.

Great flavour that’s extra lean
Ontario veal is a delicious, lean, nutrient-packed, high-quality protein that is an ideal choice for today’s healthier lifestyle needs. In fact, compared to other meats such as pork, beef and chicken, all veal cuts are extra lean (7.5 g of fat or less per 100 g portion) and contain a very low amount of saturated fat.

Veal is also an excellent source of iron, zinc and Vitamin B₁₂ which are essential for overall good health including physical and mental performance, infection resistance and proper growth respectively.

Choosing Ontario veal for your family makes it easy to follow Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating  which recommends eating two to three servings of ‘Meat and Alternatives” each day and stresses the importance of making lean food choices, such as veal.

Nutrition Comparison: 100 g portion cooked, lean only

Source: *Canadian Nutrient File, 1997 †Nutrient Composition Ontario and Quebec Grain Fed and Milk Fed Veal, 2000 ** The Heart and Stroke Foundation’s Health Check™ Program is your assurance that this product meets specific nutrient criteria based on Canada’s Food Guide. These cuts of meat are lean. Choosing leaner meats is part of healthy eating. The Ontario Veal Association financially supports the Health Check™ education program. This is not an endorsement. See www.healthcheck.org

Produced with Pride and Care
Most people do not realize that veal is produced from male (bull) dairy calves. These bull calves are not needed because modern dairy operations generally do not use them for breeding. Dairy producers will sell the bull calves (approximately 50 % of calves born) to veal producers, either privately or through a sales barn.

In essence the veal industry arose as a by product of the dairy industry, as a means to take those unwanted calves and produce a premium food item.

Far from the myth of baby cows in small pens kept in dark rooms, modern Ontario veal production uses various housing methods and complete diets to raise calves to approximately 295 to 318 kg (650 to 700 lbs.).

Furthermore, Ontario veal is produced in accordance with best practice standards set out by the industry, Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Canadian consumers can be sure that Ontario veal is raised following production and safety standards that are among the most stringent in the world. Ontario Veal Association farmers follow the Recommended Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Veal Calves and the Ontario Veal Association’s Ontario Veal Quality Assurance Program. These resources ensure that veal calves are raised in an environment where their welfare is top priority.

Did you know?

• Next to beef, veal calves – at up to 318 kg (700 lbs.) – are the second largest animal that farmers raise.
• A 272 kg (600 lbs.) veal calf will eat 6.8 kg (15 lbs.) of grain (corn) every day and will drink anywhere from five to 30 L (7.9 gal.) of water a day depending on its size.
• Ontario raises approximately 40 per cent of Canada’s veal calves.

Housing of veal calves
Veal farmers use three different types of housing to raise their calves: hutches, group pens and individual stalls. Each housing method is selected based on the calf’s growth stage and the type of veal calf being raised. Regardless of method, calves are provided with a safe, comfortable environment where they can get up, turn around and socialize with other animals.

Hutches:

• Allow each their own individual space which helps to prevent disease
• Act like an incubator to maintain warm and dry environment
• Protect during development of immune systems
• Provide safety and protection from wind, rain and snow
• Allow farmers to monitor individual feed intake

Group Pens:

• Allow for social grouping
• Offer increased space
• Are easier to maintain and operate
• Allows for grouping by size
• Are a lower cost alternative

Individual Stalls:

• Allow farmers to provide feed individually
• Provide a protected space
• Allow for easy monitoring of feed intake and health
• Minimize stress and exposure to disease

Feeding
Both grain-fed and milk-fed veal raised on a complete diet that provides all the essential nutrients for proper growth and development.

Milk-fed veal calves fed a diet consisting of:

• Milk replacer, a liquid milk-based diet similar to infant formula
• Water
• Some roughage, such as coarse grains
• Vitamins, minerals and protein supplements

Grain-fed veal calves fed a diet consisting of:

• Milk or milk replacer for the first six to eight weeks
• Water
• Roughage such as hay
• Vitamins, minerals and protein supplements
• Corn-based grain feed

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