The Leeuwarden calf market has bought a mobile water tank in order to facilitate giving water (with electrolytes) to each calf on the market before she or he is loaded for transport. The managers of the market organized this after our previous visit where we expressed our concern that not all calves were given something to drink before being loaded. Watering the calves was done manually and took too much time, leaving many calves without the chance to drink. We are happy about this positive step taken!
However we are still of the opinion that calves in transit that will be going for hours without feed should be given milk and rest at the market, and not only water with electrolytes. Water with electrolytes does not provide the nutrition needed for calves at this age.