In the northern Netherlands, we teamed up with veterinarian and calf feeding expert Dr. Ronald Rongen to tackle a persistent myth in the cattle sector: that feeding milk to calves in transit causes diarrhea. Most Dutch calf traders and farmers think that giving milk to unweaned calves in transit causes diarrhea, and thus withhold milk for very long periods. … [Read more...] about Debunking the myth: milk during transit does not cause diarrhea in calves
live animal transports
Dutch transport company Van Os implicated in serious transport fraud involving Irish calves
Once again, serious violations have been uncovered in the transport of calves from Ireland. Last Sunday, May 4, a driver from the Dutch transport company Van Os, was arrested by the Catalan police (Mossos d'Esquadra) in the Spanish province of Girona. He was transporting dozens of unweaned calves from Ireland to a farm near Barcelona—a journey spanning several … [Read more...] about Dutch transport company Van Os implicated in serious transport fraud involving Irish calves
Feeding intervals continue to be violated during import of unweaned Irish calves
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 … [Read more...] about Feeding intervals continue to be violated during import of unweaned Irish calves
Welfare concerns at yearly cattle market in Schagen (NL)
Once again, this year’s Easter cattle market in Schagen (NL) raised serious concerns about animal-welfare. Many animals exhibited clear signs of cold stress and fear. Several cattle slipped and fell while being sprayed with water—an experience that is both painful and terrifying for prey animals like cattle, who instinctively fear being on the ground, where they feel most … [Read more...] about Welfare concerns at yearly cattle market in Schagen (NL)
Visit to Leeuwarden livestock market: improvements visible, some concerns remain
On 19 March, we paid an unannounced visit to the cattle market in Leeuwarden. The market management immediately made time to show us around. The market appeared well organised: all cattle were housed in groups (except for the bulls), there was plenty of clean straw, the air was fresh, and water was available in every pen. Compared to a few years ago, the condition of … [Read more...] about Visit to Leeuwarden livestock market: improvements visible, some concerns remain
