Despite clear EU regulations designed to protect unweaned calves from starvation during long journeys, investigations by Eyes on Animals (EonA) and Ethical Farming Ireland (EFI) reveal that these rules continue to be ignored—resulting in Irish calves enduring extremely long journeys without being fed milk.
On May 3, Eyes on Animals (EonA) followed a transport truck operated by the Irish company Hinde. This truck, along with several others, had boarded the W.B. Yeats ferry run by Irish Ferries. The ferry departed Dublin Port on May 1, bound for Cherbourg, France—a crossing that takes approximately 18.5 hours.
EU transport regulations require that unweaned calves be fed after a maximum of 19 hours—or sooner (after 9 hours) if necessary. In practice, however, this limit is often exceeded by many hours. The total journey time—from the Irish assembly centres to the control posts in France, where the calves are finally fed again—includes not only the 18.5-hour ferry crossing, but also road transport to Dublin Port, long waiting times at the port (often two hours or more), and the onward journey from Cherbourg Port to the control posts.
It is widely known within the dairy and veal industries, as well as among EU, Irish, and importing country authorities, that neither the trucks nor the ferry are equipped with milk-feeding systems. Moreover, it is both practically and physiologically impossible to feed unweaned calves while they are onboard trucks.
The Hinde truck documented by EonA and EFI was spotted just before the Antwerp Ring and unloaded part of its calves at an assembly centre in Belgium, as they were destined for further export to countries such as Poland. The remaining calves on board then waited 1 hour and 19 minutes before continuing their journey to a veal factory farm in the Netherlands—prolonging an already excessively long transport. At the same control post, another Irish truck operated by the company Boyd was also observed.
EonA and EFI are deeply concerned that Irish authorities continue to approve the export of unweaned calves, while importing EU member states such as Belgium, the Netherlands, and Poland continue to fail to take effective action to stop this trade. Irish Ferries, too, should be ashamed for facilitating these transports, knowing full well that feeding the calves on board is not possible.
Even more concerning is that the calves destined for further export to Poland face a second starvation period without milk. At both control posts in Belgium, the operators admitted that the calves are given only electrolytes during the mandatory 24-hour rest period—not milk. While electrolytes may help reduce dehydration, they are no substitute for proper nutrition. This is a direct violation of EU regulations.
EonA and EFI will continue to push all involved parties, including big traders and importers such as Van Drie Group, to take responsibility and ensure legal requirements are met.
