Editing Veal (section)

=== Increased disease susceptibility ===
Veal calves' dietary intake of iron was restricted<ref name="CIWF" /> to achieve a target [[haemoglobin]] concentration of around 4.6{{nbsp}}mmol/L; normal concentration of haemoglobin in the blood is greater than 7{{nbsp}}mmol/L. Calves with blood haemoglobin concentrations of below 4.5{{nbsp}}mmol/L may show signs of increased disease susceptibility and [[immunosuppression]].<ref name="McKenna" />

Alternative agricultural uses for male dairy calves include raising bob veal (generally slaughtered at 2–3 days old, though age may be as young as 2 hours or at most 1 month old),<ref name="veal fabricatiom"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.humanefood.ca/pdf%20links/Vealfacts.pdf |title=Facts About Our Food – Veal |date=2004 |website=humanefood.ca |publisher=Canadian Coalition for Farm Animals |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706182857/http://www.humanefood.ca/pdf%20links/Vealfacts.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-06 |url-status=dead}}</ref> raising calves as "red veal" without the severe dietary restrictions needed to create pale meat (requiring fewer antibiotic treatments and resulting in lower calf mortality),<ref>Sargeant JM, Blackwell TE, Martin W, et al. Production indicates, calf health and mortality on seven red veal farms in Ontario. Can J Vet Res 1994;58:196-201.</ref> and as dairy beef.<ref>Maas J, Robinson PH. Preparing Holstein steer calves for the feedlot. Vet Clin Food Anim 2007;23:269-279</ref>

In 2008 to 2009 in the US, the demand for free-raised veal rose rapidly.<ref name=wpost/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hsus.org/farm/news/ournews/strauss_and_marcho_veal_crates.html |title=Strauss Veal and Marcho Farms Eliminating Confinement by Crate |date=February 22, 2007 |website=hsus.org |publisher=[[Humane Society of the United States]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090812113517/http://www.hsus.org/farm/news/ournews/strauss_and_marcho_veal_crates.html |archive-date=August 12, 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>