I was also distressed by organicAnt's use of that term. I don't think it's appropriate. I did some research to find out more about what happens to dairy cows. Here is a description in the most objective language I can manage:

A farmer tricks a bull into mounting an artificial vagina to collect semen. Later the farmer restrains the cow and inserts his arm deep into her rectum and removes any feces. The farmer inserts an 18-inch (45 cm) long artificial insemination gun into the cow's vagina and guides it through the cervix, using the other hand in her rectum to position the tip of the gun in the uterus. No pain management drugs are used. When a calf is born, it is separated from the cow within a few days to avoid additional stress caused by breaking the close bond that forms between cow and calf.

My source is a family-friendly guide for dairy farmers with cartoon illustrations.

This is standard practice to keep the dairy cows regularly pregnant, so they will lactate. There are other practices which make the cows produce more milk than normal, protect the milk from contamination, and dispose of the cow when milk production eventually declines. In my judgement these practices generally increase the suffering of the animal. I strongly suspect that if typical dairy cows somehow had the option of suicide, the rate would be near 100%.

I would be very happy to hear evidence to the contrary, that things are not as bad as they appear.

tacocat, what do you think? Is providing the cheapest possible liquid protein and calcium source in the grocery store adequate justification for these practices?