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Author Topic: Export of live animals  (Read 2837 times)

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Export of live animals
« on: March 13, 2011, 02:04:34 pm »
We got a letter yesterday from Compassion in World Farming asking us to support the live export of animals for slaughter or further fattening and that no aminal should have to endure a journey of longer than eight hours.

I do support this - Worldwide Horse Welfare has long campaigned for the end to transportation of hourses for slaughter - BUT our two Shetland heifers travelled for more than eight hours to get to us. I know they're not for fattening or slaughter, but they COULD have been bullocks. If the eight hour lomit is introduced, won't this have a devastating effect on the Orkneys and Shetlands and maybe even the North of Scotland, where the export of weaned calves and lambs and store cattle and sheep for finishing is a vital part of the economy - especially where there are no local slaughter facilities (given the increased EU legislation that has lead to many small abattoirs closing down).

But I do believe that animals should be humanely treated at all times, not just during transport.

So, what to do?

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2011, 02:30:20 pm »
O ROSEMARY there is sooooooo much i want to say both on the compasion for animals and there increasing strangulation on BRITTISH FARMING   the s a c did an experiment on transporting animals(pigs) to Spain monitoring there stress levels humidity etc the conclusion was it was a damned good holiday for all concerned o and the pigs neither up nor down
i can see the concern for horses being sold then exported for slaughter but other than well what does happen to horses put to sleep in this country do they go for bio fuel??

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2011, 03:52:58 pm »
Yes, I have a bit of a problem with ciwf as well - I think they are a bit zealoty (if that's a word). Their campaign against Nocton Dairies was a bit odd IMHO. Apart from size, much of what was proposed was no different to practices already in place on many British dairy farms for example zero grazing. But if the British public wants 8 pints of milk for £2, then factory dairy farms is what they'll get.

I'm sure if pigs are transported PROPERLY to Spain, they are neither up nor down ie sufficient ventilation, breaks, food, water, space and decent handling but that doesn't seem to be the way things work in practice. Lots of evidence of animals being inhumanely handled, travelled for days without food, water, a break from travelling. I'm sure SAC observed the highest animal welfare standards in its experiment.

You do have to ask WHY animals destined for slaughter in particular, and to a slightly lesser extent for further fattening, have to be transported over long distances AT ALL. Wouldn't it be preferable to move meat on the hook? Apart from the direct welfare issues, isn't there a higher probabliity of spreading disease all over Europe and the world?

Obviously, breeding stock may be a different matter - any breeding stock with a value that makes them worth exporting should be well looked after, although with AI and egg donors, is that necessary either?

If British farming relies on inhumane methods of production, then that's a very sad indictment of the industry. Are humane methods of production strangling the British farming industry?

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2011, 05:41:34 pm »
i dont know if horses are a bit different, or im just biased. i can happily sit and watch an auction with cows/pigs/sheep etc. but really dont like watching horse auctions(not talking expensive racehorses here) i just feel emotional about them and would rather leave. i also couldnt auction any of my ponies but could other animals. i think ponies exported and travelled long distances in rough conditions do suffer from the stress. and for them to be killed after is a shame, but i cant even think about farming horses for meat, upset me too much.
i think travelling conditions are everything tho. one of my ponies moved to south england, he left here friday, and stayed with the hauliers until he got to his new home on the tuesday. he looked none the worse for wear, mainly cos hed been mollicoddled all the way (cost a fortune too).
my shetland calves travelled at least 12 hours and they walked into our yard happy as larry. im not experienced with transporting farm animals in large numbers at all.
i dont think id have bought a shetland embryo tho unless they were top top quality in some way.
 :wave:

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2011, 07:48:01 pm »
I don't have a problem with folk eating horsemeat - I wouldn't coose to do it myself - but I think all animals should be travelled as little as possible and in humane conditions, and then humanely slaughtered. The EU don't even seem to implement the existing legislation - as usual, we comply in the UK but a lot of other EU countries don't, and nothing happens.

There's some scary stuff on the ciwf website - it's a wordwide problem - sheep from Australia to the Middle East for example.

I did email them about the Scottish Highlands and Islands and they did say they included exemptions for such places so long as the transport was suitable.

princesspiggy

  • Guest
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #5 on: March 19, 2011, 08:06:47 pm »
i know there are tamworth pigs in australia so they must have got there somehow. i guess not all would survive that journey unless flown. it must all be price based, it must be cheaper to import animals from far away than grow yourself, unless u cant keep up with demand in your own country, but i agree, if its export for meat, then its better on the hook. shame

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2011, 08:53:24 am »
BPA export pedigree pigs to the Philipines

Rosemary

  • Joined Oct 2007
  • Barry, Angus, Scotland
    • The Accidental Smallholder
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2011, 10:12:55 am »
The problem seems not to be with breeding stock but with animals mass exported for slaughter.

Hilarysmum

  • Joined Oct 2007
Re: Export of live animals
« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2011, 11:39:26 am »
I agree but would have hoped the BPA might have given consideration to the standards of welfare of the country they are exporting to.

For slaughter I dont understand why they cant just export carcasses.  Our local abattoir has lorries from all around the world filling up on carcasses every time I am there.  Considering the losses of live stock in transit and the minimum space requirements for moving live pigs, surely carcasses must be more cost effective.  (Sorry not deliberately preaching to the converted).

 

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