The SPCA's national chief executive is warning the premature birthing of calves could harm New Zealand's farming reputation.
Dairy farmers deliberately birth thousands of calves prematurely each year in a practice known as "inducing". The vet gives the cows two injections, so their calves will be born 8-12 weeks premature.
The practice is done to get all cows in a herd to calve at the same time, and produce milk earlier. It means many calves are born dead, but some are born still alive and have to be euthanised.
Around 200,000 calves were induced each year and although it's
legal, it had become an ethical issue dividing the dairy
industry.
SPCA national chief Robyn Kippenberger said the practice of
inducing would come as a shock to many New Zealanders.
"It's an awful look," she said on TVNZ's News at 8, saying the practice could have worldwide implications.
"The problem we have is that people aren't coming to terms with the fact that this is now global, it's now on YouTube, people in Europe can see it, and that's the market for our milk."
Kippenberger acknowledged not all farmers induced calves, but that the ones that did "must demonstrate that they have good practices".
Many vets, including Bernice Mangnall from Canterbury, were also against the practice.
"Times have changed, public perception has changed and the requirements on the overseas market have changed," she said. "So this is just moving it on ... and phasing it out."
Inductions were introduced 40 years ago. They are legal but the government's code of welfare for dairy cattle said it was best practice not to do them.
The industry originally agreed to end inductions in October but it had since decided to gradually phase them out.
Wayne Ricketts of the NZ Veterinary Association said on TV ONE's Breakfast programme he had been talking over a period of months with Federated Farmers and Dairy NZ about phasing-out the process.
He said it's time to "move on" and change the process, but does not think the practice is cruel.
"We've actually got some very strict guidelines in place, which are very much around animal welfare."
He said he does not think there will be a drop-off in milk production once the process is banned.
"Overall, there won't be a marked drop. Things like the bad weather we had here in Wellingtonn last night will make more of a drop in milk production."
What do you think of the farming practice of inducing
calves early? Have your say on the message board
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Add a Comment:
Post new commentSam mac said on 2010-09-28 @ 10:22 NZDT: Report abusive post
Another cheap shot at a soft target for TVNZ, if you are so worried about abortion why don't you show pictures of aborted babies on the six o'clock news. Or is it just dairy farmers you hate. If I was anything to do with dairy farming I would be pulling advertising etc from TVNZ. PS you can't call it inhuman as we do the same thing to millions of babies a year.
yeti said on 2010-09-28 @ 07:57 NZDT: Report abusive post
Neither inducing or human abortion is the problem, the problem lies with peoples pathetic use of superficial medical treatment just to feel 10 years younger and look 20 times more plastic and fake, as fake as mccas cheese. down with botox, put more funding into finding a cure for cancer or some such.
yeti said on 2010-09-28 @ 07:57 NZDT: Report abusive post
Neither inducing or human abortion is the problem, the problem lies with peoples pathetic use of superficial medical treatment just to feel 10 years younger and look 20 times more plastic and fake, as fake as mccas cheese. down with botox, put more funding into finding a cure for cancer or some such.
Dr Philosophical said on 2010-09-28 @ 00:26 NZDT: Report abusive post
This is the most hideous thing I have heard, in relation to farming in NZ. Mr van der Heyden should be removed from his position and charged with this offense against nature. Is there no limit to the cruelty these 'farmers' will go to - putting hens in cages, pigs in crates and now this. A crime against nature and completely offensive. Shame on the farming sector!!
marymolloy said on 2010-09-27 @ 22:49 NZDT: Report abusive post
calving can be more compact if farmers work harder to identify fertile cows and keep stock in good order - I am a farmer with 40 years experience and do not induce, have a compact calving and happy cows. Sound impossible - it is not - induction is the same as abortion in my book, it horrifies me to see calves that are induced, what do our children look like at the same stage of pregnancy when it is still possible to induce/abort them. Think about it, I do.