Union to lodge complaint over BBC documentary
Stating that the health and welfare of stock is of the highest priority to everyone in the farming industry, NFU Scotland yesterday revealed that it will lodge an official complaint with the BBC over the standards of reporting in Monday night’s documentary, The Dark Side of Dairying.
Stating that he believed the industry’s concern for animal welfare was not properly portrayed in the programme, union president Andrew Mccornick said that it was disappointing to learn that P&O Ferries had reviewed their policies following what he termed “this sensationalised and inaccurate documentary”.
In a statement released yesterday the ferry company said: “We can confirm that P&O Ferries will cease co-operating with the Scottish Government to transport across the Irish Sea young calves destined for continental Europe with immediate effect.
“We place the highest priority on animal welfare and were shocked by the scenes in last night’s documentary.
“We will not hesitate to act decisively and close the account of any customer which breaches our policies in this area.”
However, NFUS said that although some of the scenes portrayed in the broadcast were distressing, there was actually no evidence to indicate that Scottish calves travelling to Northern Ireland, Ireland and continental Europe were subjected to such treatment.
“The distressing scenes were of cattle being shippedonboats,whichwe discovered were obtained in Romania and were Hungarian cows,” said Mccornick. “The scenes in the Egyptian slaughterhouse were wholly unacceptable but again, there is no evidence to indicate that these are Scottish cows.”
He added that even the clips of the dairy calves in the market were not Scottish calves.
“NFU Scotland has the utmost faith in the Scottish Government and their Chief Veterinary Officer to ensure that Scottish dairy bull calves being exported
are done so to the highest of welfare standards and regulations,” said Mccornick.
Mairi Gougeon, minister for rural affairs, said the government realised that the issue of male dairy calves was complex.
However she said that while she had been shocked by some of the scenes in the documentary, there was nothing in it that suggested any harm or any breach of any welfare standards by anyone transporting calves from Scotland to Northern Ireland, Ireland or to continental Europe.
She said that for this reason she was concerned at the decision reached by P&O. “I want to reassure everyone that this government remains absolutely committed to ensuring that livestock in Scotland are reared, transported and treated throughout their lives humanely, with respect to the highest possible welfare standards.”