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Originally Posted by Undertoad
In a culture where scarcity is not uncommon, why just drop a beast into the sea when it could provide several hundred meals? How can such a practice survive when it is clearly superstition - and worse than ineffective?
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Hindus practice religious vegetarianism. Beef is especially forbidden, so the calf could not provide "several hundred meals" in any circumstances. It is very likely male, and like most other newborn male cattle, is destined to die very young. Since it will never produce milk (the only "useful" thing produced by the cow) they are sacrificed, or allowed to starve to death. Take your pick.
UT, the line between superstition and religion is hard to pin down. Every person who goes to church on Sunday looks awfully superstitious to me.