HOW COULD THEY?
» Calves roughly force fed at just a few days old » Cows with their hind legs shackled together » A helpless calf dragged across its pen by its legs
NEWBORN calves on an organic dairy farm were thrown on the ground, hit and force-fed by workers, a shocking investigation reveals.
The distressed animals were seen on film being “aggressively handled” by staff at dairies belonging to Coombe Farm in Somerset, which supplies organic products to Waitrose and is RSPCA Assured.
After receiving a tip-off about cruel handling, undercover footage was obtained by welfare charity Animal Equality in June and July this year.
Coombe Farm boasts of high animal welfare standards and says on its website: “We believe that well-cared-for, relaxed dairy herds produce better milk and that this will be appreciated by the people who drink it.”
But the charity claims that when it visited the farm on many occasions it found calves being force-fed and aggressively handled.
The creatures were allegedly denied water for over 24 hours on some of the hottest days of the year.
A newborn was dragged by its legs and staff swore at and hit the animals.
Several cows were seen with back legs shackled.
In the footage, a worker appears to place his foot on a calf ’s head after putting a stomach tube down its throat. He is then heard saying “You f***ing s***”as he squats down on the calf while its mother looks on.
In another incident, a worker enters the pen as a calf is suckling from its mother. The calf is pulled away and a tube forced down its throat.
One staff member was filmed dragging a calf by its hind legs, breaking RSPCA guidelines which state that animals must not be pulled or lifted by their tails, ears or limbs.
Cows were also filmed with their hind legs shackled. The practise is not illegal and is sometimes used to stop cows slipping to prevent injury. But DEFRA does not recommend it and it is condemned by many animal welfare charities.
Dr Toni Shephard, executive director of Animal Equality, says: “Far from preventing injury, shackles help facilitate a farming system that works animals to the point of collapse. They simply enable farmers to squeeze every last drop of milk out of these poor worn-out mothers before they go to slaughter.”
The charity also claims the calves were left without drinking water for more than 24 hours on days when temperatures soared over 30C. Dr Shephard says: “Consumers will be shocked to see such cruel treatment of tiny newborn calves with their heartbroken mothers forced to look on.
“These harrowing scenes are far from the much-romanticised [idea of an] organic farm.
“The workers seen doing the forcefeeding have no compassion or empathy with the newborn calves and should not continue to be employed on the farm.
“But senior management also needs to be held accountable for inadequate training and supervision.”
One of the UK’s leading experts on dairy cow and calf welfare, Prof John Webster of Bristol University’s Veterinary School, reviewed the footage.
He slammed the “cruel” way the calves are being given colostrum – the type of milk they are being force-fed.
Prof Webster said: “Not only are the calves treated roughly and with a total absence of compassion, but it is easier to deliver colostrum by stomach tube when calves are gently restrained in a standing position with their heads inclined as they would be for sucking.
“This is a reasonably affluent farm where the senior management has the knowledge required to promote good practice.
“However, there appears to be a huge gulf between the management and the stockmen, who would appear to have received neither training nor supervision in the humane care of newborn calves.”
A spokesman for Waitrose said: “This does not meet the high standards we set for a farm supplying us. We suspended the farm and launched a full investigation.”
An RSPCA spokesman said: “We are shocked and disgusted by the footage.
“It is totally unacceptable for staff on an RSPCA Assured certified farm – or any farm – to treat calves and cows this way and we apologise wholeheartedly.
“We launched an investigation and suspended the farm from the scheme.”
The Soil Association, which certifies the farm as organic, said the handling of the calves was “unacceptable”.
Coombe Farm said: “We ensure that any welfare issues raised are dealt with immediately. We initiated a request to the Soil Association and RSPCA Assured to visit the farm in question and carried out our own investigation.
“We have addressed any issues of noncompliance for the Soil Association and RSPCA Assured, and have implemented further training for farm staff.”
This is cruel treatment of calves as their mums watch on helplessly DR TONI SHEPHARD ON STANDARDS AT COOMBE