Originally from: coleen
                        

----- Original Message -----
From: ...

Originally from: "Alexis Lacy" <...>
To: <...>
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 12:20 PM
Subject: ADVOCATES FOR ANIMALS' LATEST NEWS RELEASE – DANGER THAT CRUEL SCOTTISH CALF EXPORTS MAY RESUME SOON – 31 JANUARY 2006

NEWS RELEASE
Tuesday 31 January 2006

DANGER THAT CRUEL SCOTTISH CALF EXPORTS MAY RESUME SOON

Advocates for Animals is calling on the National Farmers Union of Scotland
(NFUS) and the Scottish Executive to ensure that Scottish calves are not
exported when BSE-related export restrictions are removed by the EU this
Spring. The animal protection organisation is warning that exported calves
will suffer long journeys and are likely to be reared on the continent in
systems that have been banned in Scotland on welfare grounds.

Transporting young calves on long journeys raises serious welfare issues.
After reviewing the scientific literature, Dr Knowles of Bristol
University
concluded that: "Evidence from the literature suggests that young calves
are
not well adapted to cope with transport and marketing, often suffering
relatively high rates of morbidity and mortality, both during, and in the
few weeks immediately following transport".(1)

Exported Scottish calves will be destined for rearing as veal on the
continent where they may be kept in veal crates. Veal crates will be
prohibited EU-wide from 2007. However, many European farmers have
switched
from crates to extremely barren systems in which calves are kept on
concrete
and slats without bedding material. Such systems, little better than veal
crates, are illegal in the UK on welfare grounds.

Male dairy calves, unable to produce milk and unsuitable for the
production
of mature prime beef, are an unwanted by-product of the dairy industry.
Many
are currently shot at birth, with around half thought to be reared for low
quality beef. Advocates believes that the solution should neither involve
killing calves at birth nor exporting them to continental veal production
units. Instead, the Scottish dairy and beef sectors should work closely
with the Executive to develop economically viable uses for male dairy
calves
in Scotland. One solution is to produce more dual-purpose cows, which
would
produce less milk (and therefore would be less vulnerable to the serious
welfare problems that beset high yielding cows) but whose calves could
produce prime beef. There are about 200,000 dairy cows in Scotland.

Advocates also strongly opposes the possible export of adult cattle for
slaughter or further fattening. Adult cattle have not been exported from
the UK for many years but the lifting of the EU BSE-related ban could lead
to adult cattle as well as calves being exported. Over the years we have
witnessed extreme suffering being imposed on sheep by the live export
trade.
It would be totally unacceptable to see exported cattle facing similar
suffering.

In a letter to John Kinnaird, President of NFU Scotland, Advocates'
Director, Ross Minett, said: "Advocates opposes live calf exports both
because of the detrimental impact of long journeys on calf health and
welfare and because of the very poor rearing systems in which many
Scottish
calves are likely to be kept on the continent. We believe it is ethically
unacceptable to export calves for rearing abroad in systems that have been
prohibited in the UK on welfare grounds. It is something of a scandal
that,
in the nine years since calf exports came to an end, the Scottish dairy
industry has not developed a viable use for male dairy calves."

Advocates is urging the Scottish Executive to work with the Scottish dairy
industry to discourage a resumption of live calf exports. In a letter to
Ross Finnie MSP, Minister for the Environment and Rural Development, Ross
Minett said: "Advocates urges the Scottish Executive to do all it can to
discourage the Scottish dairy industry from embarking on a resumption of
live calf exports, particularly in light of the statement in the
Executive's
recent consultation paper that 'the UK Government and the Executive prefer
a
meat trade to a live trade.' A long-term solution must be found to the
utter
disgrace of 'unwanted by-product' male dairy calves."

Before the EU-imposed cattle export ban in March 1996, around 500,000
calves
were exported each year from the UK to the continent. The calf export
trade
aroused strong public opposition. Members of the public are being urged to
express their concerns to the NFUS and the Scottish Executive.

– ENDS –

Notes to Editors
For photographs, interviews or further information, please contact
Advocates
' Director, Ross Minett, on 0131 2256039 (07946 517585).
(1) Knowles T., 1995. 'A review of post transport mortality among younger
calves'. Veterinary Record, 137: 406–407.

--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.14.24/244 – Release Date:
30/01/2006

—No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.14.24/244 – Release Date: 30/01/2006