They are the wrong gender wk37 (From Cotswold Journal)

They are the wrong gender wk37

11:02am Monday 7th September 2009 in Letters

The number of male dairy calves born in the UK total half a million a year. The dairy industry doesn’t put a value on them. They are the wrong gender for milk production and beef farmers consider them unsuitable for meat production. In 2008 111,000 were destroyed after birth.

To give these male dairy calves a better life would be to rear them for British veal. In the UK more than a quarter of the population eats veal, yet most of this veal is imported from intensive continental systems that do not meet British animal welfare standards.

Veal produced to our high standards is being produced in Britain. The calves are reared in groups, on straw and receive a better diet. If British veal eaters switched from imported to British veal the British farming industry would be able to give calves a life worth living. I urge all readers in this area to choose British if they eat veal and for caterers to opt for British veal also.

Please join me in ‘Compassion in World Farming’ in the ‘Calf life Campaign’ to make Britain the country where male dairy calves are wanted and not wasted.

For more information on this subject please contact ‘Compassion in World Farming’ at supporters@CIWF.rg.uk. Thank you.

Stephen Scrimshaw, Evesham