Why do humans drink milk after being weaned from there mothers?

Question

No other animals drink milk after they are weaned ( after their young ) from their mothers so why do humans

add why do they drink the milk of another animal

september sweetie Humans are actually animals humans are the highest developed animals

cow milk makes a calves grow to 200 pounds so what could it do to a baby or grown human it isnt for humans it for calves

Answer 1

Originally, because it was a more efficient source of fat and protien than killing the animal for meat.

But now I suspect it's because the dairy industry has good marketing.

Answer 2

You're right, we're the only mammals that drink the milk of another mammal, which seems very weird. I sometimes think maybe we aren't supposed to since so many people have allergies to dairy. I'm not sure WHY we do, but I for one, am glad, because I love milk and all the other products we make from it - I don't think I would want to go on without cheese and ice cream!
Also, lots of people seem to think that milk is so good for you - calcium, strong bones and the such. However, even though there is calcium in milk, our bodies can't absorb it. So drink some orange juice those of you out there that want calcium! Or go to a health food store and buy some calcium citrate tablets or the like!
I do not give my daughter milk. For one, she's too young anyway, but even when she gets older, I'll probably only give her soy, since I've been buying that now anyway. I think it's better for her. Although I don't seem to have any problems with milk, it could be that I've developed a tolerance (which isn't good either, but I'm not ready to give it up), and I don't want to do that with my daughter.

Answer 3

There is a lot of controversy about ingesting the breast milk of another animal.

Many pediatricians say that babies "need" cows milk at a year old. Doesnt make much sense does it? I havent seen any human babies suddenly turn into calves on their birthdays. If babies still need milk, then it should be human milk. This is why many women advocate child-led weaning.

Us humans drink cows milk because we think its good for us. But that is debatable of course.

As for the calcium, its abundant in plenty of other foods. Problem is, most of us dont eat that healthy.

Answer 4

Personally I drink it because it's DELICIOUS - my fave drink actually. And it does have calcium in it - it's probably the main source of it for me in my otherwise not completely healthy diet.

Shera O is a bit rude isn't she?! And inaccurate - cow's milk does not have pus in it unless something has gone rather hideously wrong i.e the cow it came from had mastitis and the milk managed to completely escape the pasteurisation process.

Anyway, this question seems like a sneaky way to push vegan views if you ask me! I don't particularly care if drinking milk is natural or not, most of the things we do aren't, doesn't mean they're not good for us - oooh, here come all the thumbs down from the vegans!!! I work with a vegan actually - must ask her her views on it. I'm pretty sure she wouldn't push her views on a young kid though.

Chalice

Answer 5

GranolaMom is right - indeed only a few groups of people have lactase in adulthood in order to process the lactose in milk. So, really, most humans don't drink milk from other animals, just some African tribes and most Europeans.

As for why we continue? Milk rocks! Tastes great, good nutrients, you can make cheese (awesome).

Might as well ask why we wear things like wool sweaters or leather shoes man!

Answer 6

Ok. Using the same reasoning, when farmers know that giving baby calves and colts the colostrum from their mothers is very important to their health, and that the first choice is always nursing from their own mother,
why do people casually choose to bottle feed their babies and not to even attempt to let the baby have the colostrum from it's mother.

Answer 7

It is weird when you think of it like that - but I guess we are the only species that can evaluate the nutritional value of food and we have identified that it is a good source of nutrients even though we would not 'naturally' consume it.

and some people think it's really yummy! Like my sister, who is 25 and must drink a couple of pints a day. She'll have the strongest bones in the nursing home! lol

* * * * EDIT

Oh, I SEE - silly me, this wasn't a question that actually needed answering, was it, nor one that would generate a healthy debate - it was just a point to be ade by someone who is presumably vegan and all the people happily contributing what they have been led to believe through school and through childcare get all the thumbs down from the vegan parade. Cheers. Cue more thumbs down.

* * * EDIT #2

Shera O - where do you get YOUR information from?? Please link to your sources. it's all nonsense as far as I can see from everything I've ever read - are you a vegan activist by any chance??

Answer 8

wow it is amazing how well the gov and dairy industry have brainwashed ppl

milk does not create strong bones!!!!...it does the opposite....the animal protein actually leaches calcium from the bones....the United States is the largest consumer of cow milk and we have the highest rate of osteoporis

milk is not full good nutrients.....it's full of synthetic vitamin A and D....with varying levels of Vit. D.....antibiotics, pus, hormones, blood, saturated fat.....that's it

and to those that continue on about drinking human milk/lactating their whole life you don't get what milk is for obviously!! haaaa

milk is for infants to children of early childhood....that's it....mammals are not biologically made to consume milk their whole life

do some research on this subject before you all go spouting off about the supposed health benefits of drinking cow milk when infact you know nothing

Answer 9

Because they don t know better and if the dairy industry has its way, you will NEVER know better.

Answer 10

because we are weird. some people say breastmilk is gross or trying it is gross. even though i do drink milk i find drinking milk from another animals boobs gross. breastmilk was meant to be for humans and cow milk for baby cows