Source: SAFE For Animals
On the eve of a new campaign targeting the dairy industry, SAFE received shocking footage showing a new-born calf drowning in mud.
SAFE Campaign Manager Emma Brodie says the treatment of bobby calves continues to be a black stain on the dairy industry and New Zealand’s reputation.
“We can’t fool ourselves into thinking New Zealand takes animal welfare seriously when there are calves drowning in mud,” says Brodie.
“Cases like these are exposed by animal rights groups every year. It’s clear there needs to be a serious overhaul of the industry, and the Government needs to take responsibility.”
SAFE has launched online advertising to raise awareness for the ongoing plight of bobby calves, an issue that remains at the forefront of dairy production in New Zealand. Around 36% of the dairy calves born annually in New Zealand are killed as bobby calves compared with 19% in Australia and just 6% in the United States.
“What we’d like to see instead is support for farmers to transition out of animal agriculture, and more Government investment in Aotearoa’s burgeoning plant-based sector.
“Animal suffering does not have to be a defining feature of Aotearoa’s food system. The markets for plant-based proteins and milks have grown exponentially. We should be capitalising on that potential, and diversifying New Zealand’s export market away from its dependence on animal-based products.”
