Mccornick: ‘We’re trying to reduce live calf exports’

While last night’s BBC TV documentary, The Dark Side of Dairy, made uncomfortable viewing for the sector, industry bodies yesterday highlighted that live export accounted for only a small proportion of Scotland’s dairy calf trade.

The programme focused on 5,000 calves from the 175,000-strong dairy herd which were exported to Ireland then on to the continent, with investigative journalist Samantha Poling “taking a journey into the controversial world of live animal exports”.

“She uncovers some shocking truths about what happens to the male calves the Scottish dairy industry has no use for. And she goes on the trail of a live cattle shipment across Europe to see for herself the long journeys they endure,” read the introduction to the programme.

However, although the BBC had refused to allow the industry an advance viewing, speaking ahead of the broadcast, NFU Scotland president Andrew Mccornick said that the number exported every year made up only a small proportion of dairy bull calves, adding that the Scottish dairy industry was actively working to reduce the number and

0 BBC’S Samantha Poling followed live exports of calves

find alternative home markets.

“Live exporting calves is not the preference of most dairy farmers in Scotland,” said Mccornick, “but unfortunately there is a limited market in the UK for dairy bull calves and exporting is the only viable option for some farmers.”

He said that the trade, which was entirely legal, was conducted through reputable exporters working to high standards which ensured that the calves travelled and arrived in good condition, and the production system at the destination met the same EU requirements as the UK.

Mccornick said he was aware the Scottish Government’s department for animal health and welfare was currently in the process of looking into the issue of live exporting to Europe – and said he was confident that any decision, based on

sound and thorough scientific deliberation, would back up this view.

He also said that the industry was looking at developing a home market for dairy beef and rose veal.

Former union president Jim Walker told Radio Scotland that the use of sexed semen had reduced the number of dairy bulls born and had allowed half the calves born to be sired by beef breeds.

He also said that the brutal truth was that – with consumers wanting milk as cheap as possible and mince at under £2 a kg – the economics showed that dairy farmers would lose between £150 and £200 a head on each calf if they were kept through to slaughter and challenged welfare organisations to meet their claims of a profitable home market for such calves.