On April 1st 2016 Eyes on Animals organized the workshop "From Good to Better: Small and big steps to improve a dairy farms' vitality". The purpose of the workshop was to connect people with each other and to inspire them with ideas to make changes on dairy farms to improve animal welfare. In total there were 37 participants from all over the country. They varied from … [Read more...] about EonA workshop for dairy-industry players
dairy farming
Dairy farmer who keeps the calves in the herd says it is of course possible!
Terrific letter to the editor published today in the Leeuwarden Courant, a daily paper from Friesland. It was written by one of the Dutch dairy farmers that keep the calves in the herd with their mothers for 2-4 months, instead of separating them at birth and raising them for 2-3 weeks in single small pens and then transporting the males and 65% of the females off the farm … [Read more...] about Dairy farmer who keeps the calves in the herd says it is of course possible!
Visit to a calf-fattening farm using foster-mother cows, NL
Today an Eyes on Animals team visited a calf-fattening farm belonging to Jacob Beeker, in the Netherlands. Jacob runs a very unique and special farm. He buys the unwanted male jersey calves from an organic dairy farm. Small male calves are normally taken away from their mother right after birth and killed because they are considered to not have any economic value. At … [Read more...] about Visit to a calf-fattening farm using foster-mother cows, NL
Meeting with Cono dairy cooperation, NL
This morning a team from Eyes on Animals met with Cono in North Holland. Cono is a Dutch cooperation made up of 475 dairy farmers whereby more than 95% of the members' cows have access to pasture (outdoor grazing). We asked for this meeting in order to discuss with them how other welfare requirements could be further stimulated, with a special request to further improve … [Read more...] about Meeting with Cono dairy cooperation, NL
Separation of mothers & new-born calf – time for an ethical alternative
In order to produce more milk for consumers, cows are kept regularly pregnant and their calves are taken away from them within minutes to several hours after birth. The calves then spend several weeks all alone in individual boxes. The scientific research project run by the Louis Bolk Institute "Calf with the Mother" is following an alternative management system that … [Read more...] about Separation of mothers & new-born calf – time for an ethical alternative
