Live Export Company Lobbying For Baby Calf Exports

In an article published last week in Farmers Weekly, Australian live animal export company Austrex NZ advocated for the export of four-day old calves as an alternative to being ‘tapped on the head,’ referring to the use of a blunt force trauma.

SAFE Campaigns Manager Marianne Macdonald said the export company appears to be trying to influence the Government’s live export review.

"It might be news to Austrex NZ that the use of blunt force trauma is illegal except in the case of an emergency," says Macdonald. "We’d be appalled to see baby animals, who need to be fed regularly, subjected to such long journeys."

It appears Austrex NZ is trying to circumvent our animal welfare laws and push for approval despite limits on the export of young calves.

The Animal Welfare (Care and Procedures) Regulations 2018 states that the maximum duration of transport for calves younger than 14 days is 12 hours. Airfreight would be the only practical method of export in such a case and would be prohibitively costly for large animals like calves.

"Live export of animals is stressful enough for adult cows," said Macdonald. "The Government would have to roll back the minimal protections that currently exist to allow exporters to ship four-day old calves by sea."

© Scoop Media