UK: Dairy cows are bred to suffer say welfare watchdogs
Dairy cows are being bred to suffer, according to a report published yesterday.
Giant Holstein-type cows have been bred with too much emphasis on the size of their udders, says the report from the animal health and welfare panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
It says the emphasis on productivity has produced cows which do not have enough room to move in old-fashioned stalls and for that and other reasons, including genetic weakness, they are more likely to suffer lameness and the teat infections known as mastitis.
It is hard to feed them enough to keep up with their urge to produce milk and that contributes to their vulnerability to strains, scrapes and infections. It means the life expectancy of the average cow has dropped even while scientific understanding of its needs has increased.
The dairy industry has brushed off similar criticisms in the past but the EFSA report paves the way for legislation. It says existing food assurance standards are not tough enough, and that criticism includes the Red Tractor, RSPCA Freedom Foods and organic certification schemes.
備注:Red Tractor-When you see the Union flag in the Red Tractor logo you’re guaranteed that the food you’re buying comes from British farms and meets high standards of production relating to food safety and hygiene, animal welfare and environmental protection。