Changes to the dairy cattle welfare code outlined by Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today provide clarity for farmers, Dairy NZ sustainability strategy and investment leader Dr Rick Pridmore said.

“Most dairy cattle, including calves, are generally not slaughtered on farms by farmers anyway but are sent to processing facilities.

“However, today’s move to amend the code of welfare makes it much clearer what is an emergency and what is acceptable practice on farms when that situation does arise.

“Farmers need to be trained and competent – and that’s an entirely reasonable expectation.”

DairyNZ was working with the Ministry for Primary Industries to ensure training and support in alternative methods, such as the use of a captive bolt, were available for farmers.

“We are confident as an industry that we have the necessary resources and training programmes in place to adequately prepare farmers for this change.

“We have 21 training workshops planned for June and July that will cover humane slaughter onfarm and we are also going to partner with veterinarians to deliver more workshops in the future,” Pridmore said.

Dairy Companies Association executive director Kimberly Crewther said the change aligned with international research-based recommendations and would support New Zealand maintaining its reputation for high standards of animal welfare.

“The NZ dairy industry values high standards of animal welfare.

“Consumers and the general public can be confident that our standards are robust for the care of cattle including calves,” she said.

The code is being reissued with amendments covering the humane destruction of dairy cattle on farms and takes effect on June 13 – ahead of this year’s calving season.

Feds support blunt force trauma ban

Federated Farmers has added its support to the ban on manual blunt force trauma but welcomed the exemption for emergency euthanasia.

“Federated Farmers was one of the many submitters who supported the change to the code of welfare for dairy cattle,” animal welfare spokesman Willy Leferink said.

“Euthanising any animal requires great skill to achieve rapid death.

“This is a skill not everyone is up for due to obvious reasons and we are grateful the code revision agrees. Any of the recommended methods require genuine skill.

“It is why we look forward to working with the Ministry (for Primary Industries), DairyNZ, and veterinarians to ensure that the right training is available to farmers.

'Emergencies can happen anywhere onfarm involving sick and injured stock or calves that are born with deformities or injuries.'

“No matter what method is used, we believe death must be swift and confirmed before the animal
is left.

“We appreciate that NAWAC (the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee) has recognised the emergency use of blunt force.

“The only other alternative was for farmers to carry a weapon every time they went onfarm, which was neither safe nor sensible.

“Emergencies can happen anywhere onfarm involving sick and injured stock or calves that are born with deformities or injuries.

“The quickest and most humane act may in fact be blunt force trauma.

“Again, Federated Farmers commends NAWAC for acknowledging that emergency slaughter is a skilled operation to be undertaken only by trained and competent staff.

“I would have issued this release earlier but cellphone access in Canterbury, only four kilometres out of Rakaia, has been shockingly poor today.

“You have got to wonder how we will double our primary exports if cellular access and cellular broadband is much better in third-world countries,” Leferink said.