• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • EYES ON ANIMALS – Watching out for their Welfare
  • English
  • Nederlands

Eyes on Animals

Watching out for their Welfare

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
DONATE
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Our team
    • Key Figures
    • Contact
  • News
    • Latest news
    • Good news
    • Bad news
    • Featured news
    • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Inspections
    • Farms
    • Markets
    • Transports
    • Slaughterhouses
    • Special projects
    • Other
  • Training
    • Police
    • Truck drivers
    • Poultry-catchers
    • Slaughter personnel
    • Training Material
    • Request a training
  • Industry Tips
    • Animal transport
      • Cattle
      • Pigs
      • Poultry
    • Slaughterhouses
      • Cattle
      • Pigs
      • Poultry
      • Ritual slaughter
    • Educational videos
  • Publications
    • In the media
      • Print
      • Television
      • Radio
      • Videos
    • Newsletters
    • Special reports
    • Training Material
    • Annual reviews
  • Future Vision
  • Help us
Home » Our inspections » market » Inspection of welfare conditions for cull-cows sold at Leeuwarden market in NL

Inspection of welfare conditions for cull-cows sold at Leeuwarden market in NL

February 5, 2009

cull_cows1_2009

Eyes on Animals inspectors made an unannounced visit to the famous cull-cow market in Leeuwarden where three years ago downer cattle were being regularly delivered and dragged onto trucks using chains. Eyes on Animals was relieved to see that the improvements the market managers made since, are all still in place and that they have even built a water system. Every cow has access to water, there are long water troughs directly under the railings where the cattle are attached to (see photo above). Numerous cows had full-udders but their hired “milker” was busy milking them with a small milking machine. There were no downers, but looking at all of them one has to question if the entire Holstein genetics is not doomed as these animals all look skinny and exhausted after just 3-4 gestations. Many cattle had leg injuries due to their housing systems, so called “bed sores” from lying in their stalls which are often too short, and swelling at the joints from walking on concrete. Two cows were not fit for transport, one for not being able to put any pressure on her back right leg, and the other because she had calved just 3 days earlier. A veterinarian was called in to euthanize both. A combi team of 2 inspectors from the AID and the VWA were present and checked carefully the animals. We were informed that a combi team is present now every week. The attitude of the market managers was friendly and open to us, showing the right attitude to continued progress in increasing welfare standards. Their future plans are to raise money in order to install a better ventilation system to reduce ammoniac levels.

Leeuwarden market managers introducing Eyes on Animals to their new “milker”.

Many dairy cows are sent to slaughter after just 3-4 calvings because of reduced milk production. Like many others present, this cow had a swollen hock and long hooves, showing that her “farmer” did not take adequate care of her well-being at the farm.

cull_cows2_2009

cull_cows_2009

  • share 
  • tweet 
  • share 
  • save 
  • email 

Filed Under: market

Primary Sidebar

Search

Featured

hungry and exhausted calves on long distance transport

Calves not given any milk for over 30 hours

Investigations by Eyes on Animals, Ethical Farming Ireland and L214 reveal that young calves, … [Read More...] about Calves not given any milk for over 30 hours

Featured

A second slaughterhouse in Samsun (TR) interested in stunning

A positive video message from Asalet (Eyes on Animals Turkish trainer and inspector) in Samsun, … [Read More...] about A second slaughterhouse in Samsun (TR) interested in stunning

Our most recent newsletter

Dear friends and supporters,

Thanks to donors like you, we have been able to greatly intensify our efforts in Turkey.

We have been busier than ever giving animal-welfare training sessions at slaughterhouses.

 

Read more…

Subscribe to our newsletter

Eyes on Animals op Twitter

Twitter feed is not available at the moment.

ANBI

Footer

Donate with Paypal

Paypal Eyes on Animals
One-time donation:
Monthly donation:

Reading Material

  • In the Media
  • Newsletters
  • Special EonA reports
  • Legislative texts
  • ANBI

Our Amsterdam Office

Amsterdam House Hotel
Eyes on Animals main office is in downtown Amsterdam, at the Amsterdam House Hotel. The generous and warm-hearted hotel owner donated to Eyes on Animals, free of charge, a beautiful room where our inspectors can work, hold meetings and store their material.

Copyright © 2023 · Eyes on Animals | Website by Webkompaan