Bikinis in cowshed
OPINION: An animal activist organisation is calling for an investigation into the use of dairy cows in sexuallly explicit content posted on social media and adult entertainment subscription site OnlyFans.
Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy is welcoming a new report showing a major improvement in bobby calf welfare last year.
MPI has vets at nearly every processing plant and in the 2016 season the mortality rate for bobby calves between farm and processing has halved – from 0.25% to 0.12%.
“This is a drop of just over 50% and shows that new regulations and education campaigns have made a real difference,” says Guy.
Also, calves are arriving at plants in much better health and condition. “This is also a significant drop from 2008 when the mortality rate was 0.68%,” says Guy.
“The wider industry and MPI have put a lot of work into improving practices over recent years and they deserve recognition for this.
“While there are still a few in the industry who need to improve their behaviour, this provides strong evidence things are improving.”
This is the first season with tighter new rules for handling bobby calves. And from August 1 this year truckies will have to use loading and unloading gear when young calves are trucked for sale and slaughter, and they must have appropriate shelter.
Guy has acknowledged the industry groups who in late 2015 formed a Bobby Calf Action Group – DairyNZ, Federated Farmers, the NZ Veterinary Association, Road Transport Forum, Meat Industry Association, Dairy Companies
Association of NZ, the NZ Petfood Manufacturers Association and MPI.
“The Government strengthened the animal welfare system with $10 million in new funding in 2015 and passed the Animal Welfare Amendment Act to improve compliance and enforcement,” Guy says.
Two butcheries have claimed victory at the 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards for 2025.
A Taupiri farming company has been convicted and fined $52,500 in the Hamilton District Court for the unlawful discharge of dairy effluent into the environment.
The Climate Change Commission’s 2025 emissions reduction monitoring report reveals steady progress on the reduction of New Zealand’s climate pollution.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
The Government’s directive for state farmer Landcorp Farming (trading as Pamu) to lifts its performance is yielding results.
The move to bring bovine TB testing in-house at Ospri officially started this month, as a team of 37 skilled and experienced technicians begin work with the disease eradication agency.
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