quey calves are dear veal
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
An old proverb, somewhat analogous to "killing the goose which lays the golden eggs." Female calves should be kept and reared for cows.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “quey calves are dear veal” mean?
An old proverb, somewhat analogous to "killing the goose which lays the golden eggs." Female calves should be kept and reared for cows.
Is “quey calves are dear veal” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.