Irish calves often spend a day or more without food when being exported which infringes EU law, an animal welfare organisation has said.
Eyes on Animals, a Dutch NGO, has filed a complaint with the European Commission about Ireland’s department of agriculture, food and the marine.
The complaint, filed on August 26, centres on Irish calves’ long export journeys without food. Exported calves are usually male and from the dairy sector. Cows produce milk only after they give birth. To maximise the milk available to human consumers, calves are usually removed from their mothers a few hours after they are born.
Newborn calves would normally drink from their mother every three to four hours, or be provided with a regular milk replacer.
When exported the
