A letter to the EU Commission has demanded that the live export of calves from Ireland to the Continent by halted. \ Donal O' Leary

A coalition of animal welfare organisations has demanded that the European Commission halts the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to the Continent.

In a recent letter to the Health and Food Safety Commissioner, Stella Kyriakides, a group of 24 animal welfare organisations said Brussels had a responsibility to act given the findings of an audit of the calf transport trade last year by the Commission’s health and food safety body, DG SANTE.

“In its audit report dated 22 December 2023, the Commission made it clear that in its view the transport of unweaned calves from Ireland to France is being carried out in breach of Regulation 1/2005 on the protection of animals during transport,” it stated.

“This is because the Commission interprets the regulation as requiring unweaned calves to be fed during the long sea crossing by roll-on roll-off (RORO) ferry from Ireland to France,” the animal welfare organisations maintained.

The regulation in question recommends that calves be fed every 12 hours; although the Department of Agriculture has questioned its application.

“The calves are not fed during the crossing; indeed, it is not possible to feed unweaned calves while they are on a truck which is on board a RORO ferry,” the letter claimed.

The animal welfare groups claimed that some calves could go 27 hours without being fed during particular sailings.

“Despite the Commission’s audit report, Ireland continues to export large numbers of unweaned calves,” the letter pointed out.

Breach of regulation

“As calf exports from Ireland are being conducted in breach of Regulation 1/2005 as interpreted by the Commission, we urge the Commission to take effective measures to halt this trade,” the animal welfare groups demanded.

In its initial response to the audit, the Department stated that it does not see the 12-hour feeding interval recommendation as a “legal obligation” unless it is necessary to avoid injury or undue suffering during transport.

The audit noted that ensuring animal welfare was a “high priority” in Ireland’s calf export trade. Ireland has exported in excess of 193,000 calves so far this year, which is around 8,000 head back on 2023.

Compassion in World Farming, Eurogroup for Animals, Four Paws, Quatre Pattes, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and World Animal Protection were among the animal welfare groups that signed the letter to the Commission.