Source: MIL-OSI Submissions
Source: SAFE For Animals
SAFE intends to end the production of foetal bovine serum (FBS), which is the aim of the charity’s open letter which calls for a ban on the slaughter of pregnant cows in Aotearoa.
Largely unfamiliar to the public, FBS is produced from blood harvested from unborn calves. In a process known as foetal calf blooding, a pregnant cow is slaughtered, her calf removed, and the blood of her unborn calf is then drained with a needle inserted into the heart without pain relief.
The blood is spun down into a serum and sold on the overseas market as a growth supplement for cell culture.
SAFE Campaigns Officer Emma Brodie said the production of FBS is deeply unethical.
“Transporting a pregnant cow at the end of her life, just to kill her while she is still pregnant is a callous and unnecessary final act of cruelty,” said Brodie.
“Transport during pregnancy also increases a cow’s risk of suffering from heat stress, dehydration and early delivery.”
Last year, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) recorded 72 cows giving birth at slaughter facilities – a breach of animal welfare regulations. However, farms can legally send cows to slaughter up until their final month of pregnancy. The true scale of suffering in this industry remains unknown.
SAFE’s open letter is calling on Associate Agriculture Minister Meka Whaitiri and the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) to ban the killing of pregnant cows in New Zealand. This would require farms to conduct more thorough pre-transport welfare checks that would prevent farms from artificially inseminating ‘cull’ cows.
“There are ethical, animal-free alternatives available on the market. Aotearoa should not be involving itself with such a cruel product. The killing of pregnant cows is a new low for the industry, and we encourage anyone who agrees to sign our open letter.”
SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.
We’re creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.
– Across New Zealand, ‘cull’ cows are being sent to slaughter while pregnant so that the blood from their unborn calves can be drained and sold for export.
– Foetal calf blooding’ involves killing a pregnant cow, typically in the last third of gestation, removing her unborn calf and draining their blood via cardiac puncture (a needle inserted into their heart without anaesthesia).
– The blood of unborn calves is spun down to produce Foetal Bovine Serum (FBS). This is used as a growth supplement for cell culture and other scientific applications, though there are ethical, animal-free alternatives to FBS which could be used instead.
– It is currently illegal for cows to give birth in transit or within 24 hours of arrival at a slaughter premise. [5] However, in 2021, MPI issued 72 fines after cows gave birth on slaughterhouse floors. It’s clear that some farms are flouting current rules, and subjecting cows to unnecessary distress.
– Last year, New Zealand exported approximately 35,000 litres and 33,000 kilograms of FBS.
– FBS can be exported overseas for over $2,500 per litre. At most, each calf yields about half a litre of serum. Therefore, at least 100,000 calves were killed for foetal bovine serum production in 2021 (this is a conservative estimate).
– There are 27 facilities across New Zealand that include ‘foetal blood’ in their risk management programme.
– A key player in this industry is ANZCO: a leading meat processing company in New Zealand that owns Bovogen Biologicals and Moregate Biotech – pharmaceutical businesses that manufacture foetal bovine serum and other animal serums.
