Not Your Milk

Belgian animal welfare organization GAIA raises awareness about the fate of dairy cows with Altmann+Partners.

What many people do not know is that, in order to produce milk, calves are separated from their mothers immediately after birth. This little-known reality is at the heart of the new awareness campaign, Not Your Milk, launched by GAIA (Global Action in the Interest of Animals), one of Belgium's leading animal welfare organizations. To bring this message to the widest possible audience, the organization partnered with Altmann+Partners, an agency renowned for its many campaigns supporting animal causes.

A Stark Figure: More Than 333,000 Calves Slaughtered in One Year

The figures are striking. In 2025, 333,191 calves were raised and subsequently slaughtered in Belgium as a direct consequence of the dairy industry's operating model. Approximately 12% of them die before even reaching slaughter age—a mortality rate far higher than the average among farmed animals. Those that survive are slaughtered between six and eight months of age, despite having a natural life expectancy of more than twenty years. In the meantime, Belgian legislation allows only 1.5 to 1.8 square meters of space per calf, an area insufficient to enable them to express even their most basic natural behaviors.

Number 3347: A Three-Minute Commercial Conceived as a Short Film

Rather than producing a shocking documentary, the agency chose to tell the story of a cow searching for her calf. The result is an epic and dreamlike journey, presented through a cinematic narrative that invites viewers to experience the animal's emotions firsthand—right up to the final outcome.

To direct the film, Altmann+Partners enlisted Sebastian Strasser, an award-winning commercial director with more than 250 international awards, including 20 Cannes Lions. Deeply committed to the subject, he mobilized numerous VFX and SFX specialists to bring the project to life. The film's score was composed by Peter Hayo, based on the original piece "Try" by Keaton Henson & Daniel Herskedal.

The film has been broadcast on television, in cinemas, on digital platforms, and across social media since May 29.

GAIA's Demands

Beyond the campaign itself, GAIA is advocating for concrete measures, including:
• Improved calf-rearing conditions;
• A ban on early separation and isolation practices;
• Stricter regulation of animal transport.

The organization also encourages consumers to reconsider their consumption of dairy products and to turn to the plant-based alternatives available on the market.

More information about the campaign: notyourmilk.be
More information about GAIA: https://www.gaia.be/en