The Plight of the Bobby Calves

Please take a moment to read and act for the bobby calves...

AACT has been notified of an online petition concerning the proposed extreme extension of time which if the proposal is accepted will permit baby calves to be deliberately starved of feed for up to 30 hours. In reality this is like starving a baby human for 30 hours because calves like humans do not have the reserves to endure long periods without food.

Calves are vulnerable little creatures; easily susceptible to disease, stomach viruses, exhaustion and dehydration.

In light of the scientific studies undertaken in Europe which demonstrate that baby calves are unable to cope with long periods off feed without their health and welfare deteriorating severely; it is our opinion that calves should never be starved of feed for longer than 10 hours at the maximum and a record of their feed regime should be mandatory.

We ask that you take a minute and sign the boby calves petition at change.org

If you cannot reach this link, please visit the forum at www.liveexportshame.com and add your name to the list.

Here are points that may be raised in submissions, as commented by AACT

Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania made a submission on the proposal to increase 'time off feed' for bobby calves, making the following observations:

1. The only 'humane solution' for these 'unwanted' and very vulnerable baby animals is for them to be humanely shot by a licenced and competent (accredited in humane destruction) shooter 'on farm', and if they are to be used for meat, then refrigerated.

2. That most conservative of animal 'welfare' organisation in the country, RSPCA Australia, objects to the proposal of increasing time off feed for bobby calves on the following grounds:

• bobby calves should be fed every 12 hours
• calves should be fed within four hours of leaving the property of origin and this feed should be equivalent to half the calves' daily ration
• the time of feed should be recorded and accompany the calves to their destination to ensure timely provision of feed to calves not slaughtered within 12 hours of their last feed
• the time interval from farm to abattoir should not exceed 10 hours
• bobby calves must, where possible, be transported directly to the abattoir.
• RSPCA Australia also notes that calves younger than 5 days often are involved in this arduous process.

3. The so called 'scientific evidence' was commissioned by the Dairy Industry, which clearly has vested commercial interests which bear no possible relationship to the welfare of these baby animals; that is, there can be no possibe evidence which would attest that the animals would not suffer physiological and other harm from extending time off feed, transport times, or time in saleyard or slaughterhouse premises. In other words, any such research should have been drawn from independent providers rather than solely from the industry with everything to gain at the expense of the welfare of the animals.

4. The arguments being put in favour of this proposal assume that the bobby calves have been prepared and transported in a welfare compliant manner. The sad reality, based on observations from animal advocates, is that many bobby calves are NOT:-

• Properly fed before leaving the farm
• Loaded on to transports in a low stress manner and in the appropriate density
• Provided with apppropriate bedding or shelter and pick-up points, saleyards oir slaughter premises
• Provided with protection from climatic extremes and bad weather at any point in the transport process
• Are unlikely to be slaughtered (or fed) upon arrival at slaughterhouses.

5. An increased 'time off feed' fails to recognise that these vulnerable animals are unlikely to be provided with feed ('curfewed') for a lengthy period before being transported, which does not appear to be factored in to this proposal, and this would be in addition to further denial of feed at saleyards and slaughterhouses. Full declarations of feed given to these animals (or otherwise) must be provided at all points in this process.

6. Such a proposal clearly opens the way to severe (additional) abuse and cruelty being inflicted on these animals who, as well as being terrified and away from their mothers, may be unable to walk or stand as a result of such periods of deprivation, and observers at saleyards have seen bobby calves being kicked, thrown, dragged, prodded and their tails twisted as their abusers become impatient with their frailty. There is little or no monitoring of the condition of the baby animals on farms, in saleyards, on transports or at slaughterhouses.

7. A 30 hour Time of Feed regime allows for bobby calves to be picked up from more than one property, left at saleyards for longer, and not slaughtered upon arrival at abattoirs. This is clearly an extremely cruel measure that has everything to do with financial gain and nothing to do with the welfare of the animals. Essentially, it is about implementing an extremely minimal standard in the hope that the animals can still stand long enough to be slaughtered.

8. Australia claims to have the 'highest standards of animal welfare'. The EU Code of Practice provides that 'unweaned animals must be slaughtered immediately, or at least within 2 hours of arriving at abattoirs'; clearly way ahead of this proposal. Australia also transports hundreds of thousands of animals thousands of kilometres every day, purely for financial gain and in all weather extremes, and these transports are almost entirely unmonitored. The reality is that Australia should be ashamed of its treatment of 'food' animals. While regulations may be in place, there is little or no monitoring or enforcement of compliance, and it is this that these 'industries' rely upon.