L214, a French animal rights organization, released video footage from Sourches Experimental Farm in northwestern France that shows a man literally putting his hand right into the stomach of a cow through a port cut into the cow’s side. The group is calling on the industry to end this disturbing practice.

While upsetting to see, this is nothing new. I remember a scene from the 2008 documentary Food, Inc. that also documented this horrific practice.

A BBC article that covered the story explained that the meat industry does this to study cows with the aim to “maximize food production and minimize greenhouse gases.” The article also stated that the operation required to install these ports causes cows to suffer pain. You think?

It’s beyond disturbing to learn that the industry is still trying to push animals to well beyond their limits. Consider this: Sixty years ago an average cow exploited for dairy produced around 5,000 pounds of milk per year; but today, due to genetic manipulation and drug administration, that number has more than quadrupled to 23,000 pounds a year. And the industry wants more? Disgusting.

Many of them already suffer from lameness, infections, lung or heart problems. And yet, instead of stopping this cycle, we are always pushing further. It is high time to put this unfair system into question.

Brigitte Gothière, co-founder of L214

Additionally, meat and dairy production is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions. Sure, we can torture animals in grotesque experiments to try and figure out how to reduce those emissions or we could just stop eating them. Hello?

Vegan alternatives to meat and dairy are literally everywhere nowadays so there is no need to be contributing to this disgusting fuckery. Period. Seriously, Google that shit.

If you want to help the animals and the good people over at L214, consider signing their petition here.