The activist group Ethical Farming Ireland has said Brittany Ferries' plan to end its livestock transport services from Ireland to mainland Europe is a "major victory for animals".

Brittany Ferries confirmed the news to Agriland today (Tuesday, August 4).

This development will have a significant impact on the trade of Irish calves to customers located on mainland Europe.

It follows a period of speculation over the August Bank Holiday weekend that the company was reviewing its livestock transport services from Ireland.

Brittany Ferries has not yet indicated when it will cease transporting Irish livestock but it is expected that this is likely to come into effect before calving season 2027.

Campaign

Ethical Farming Ireland said Brittany Ferries' decision follows a "sustained international campaign" led by several NGOs.

Brittany Ferries resumed transporting live animals in March 2025.

In response, Ethical Farming Ireland and partner NGOs in Europe sent a joint letter to the CEO with over 100 signatories.

This was followed by actions that "mobilised European citizens with more than 100,000 emails being sent to the company" and two petitions that "obtained over 100,000 signatures".

In addition, protests were held in Ireland, France and the UK over the past year.

Ethical Farming Ireland and its counterparts said meetings had been held between Brittany Ferries and NGOs, in which advocates called for an immediate end to the practice of transporting unweaned calves and all other animals.

Ethical Farming Ireland and its counterparts said in a joint statement that Brittany Ferries’ withdrawal from this trade "makes Irish Ferries an outlier, as the only carrier to continue the cruel practice of transporting unweaned calves from Ireland to France, since Stena Line withdrew from the route last year".

"Pressure is now mounting on Irish Ferries to follow suit," the statement said.

'Great news'

Ethical Farming Ireland executive director, Caroline Rowley said after a year of campaigning, "we are delighted" that Brittany Ferries has "finally made the principled choice to stop all involvement in this trade".

Cat Phipps from Southampton Animal Action in the UK said it is "great news for the animals and for the community of protesters who have been present at Portsmouth Port for over a year".

Brittany Ferries

Over 200,000 calves have been exported from Ireland to date this year.

Brittany Ferries is one of two ferry companies that facilitate the transport of Irish calves to mainland Europe.

Irish-based calf traders involved in the trade of Irish calves to mainland Europe have until now, depended on the ferry company, to get their livestock trucks onto mainland Europe.

It is understood several of the key players in the Irish calf trade currently exporting calves to mainland Europe are examining the feasibility of different options for transporting calves on lorries to mainland Europe.