Irish calf exports are lawful, fully regulated and have been "misrepresented" by an "activist driven Dutch campaign", according to the Irish Livestock Exporters Association.

The comments come as the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) confirmed plans to impose fines on four Irish companies that transport calves to the Netherlands.

The agency has claimed the young unweaned calves are not being adequately fed while being transported to the Netherlands.

Agriland understands that the four Irish companies, which have not been named, have been given a year to adjust their transport arrangements.

Following this period, a penalty payment of €3,000 per transport violation will be applied, with this fine increasing up to €27,000 for subsequent violations.

Exporters

In a statement, the Irish Livestock Exporters Association (ILEA) told Agriland: "The live export of calves from Ireland is a lawful, commercial trade, fully regulated by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and operating in compliance with Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005".

"Irish exporters operate under some of the strongest animal welfare conditions in the European Union, and animal welfare is paramount in all their undertakings.

"ILEA will not tolerate conduct that falls short of this core value and will dismiss from its membership any operator that does not uphold these standards," it said.

The ILEA also maintained that "Irish calves are fed en route in accordance with approved journey plans and EU requirements".

"If the NVWA considers that a breach of legislation has been uncovered during an in transit stop or inspection – a proposition we firmly refute – the appropriate course is to commence formal proceedings or to notify DAFM without delay," the association added.

ILEA said that official statistics show a 0.095% mortality rate in Irish live exports which it said is a "fraction of typical on farm cattle mortality rates in Ireland and across the EU".

"Irish calves are more sought after by continental buyers despite being more expensive, reflecting their superior health, traceability, and welfare standards.

"This market preference is incompatible with activist claims of systematic poor welfare or 'starvation' in transit," it said.

Calves

The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) said it is of the view that "calves that are still dependent on milk feeding must always receive the care and nutrition they require throughout the entire journey".

"This is currently not the case.

"During the long sea voyage from Ireland to the control post in France, and subsequently by road to the Netherlands, these very young and vulnerable animals are not fed," it said.

The authority said that trucks are "not equipped with suitable feeding systems to provide warm milk, and each individual calf must be assisted in drinking", with the latter being "practically impossible".

The NVWA said it was "following the advice of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which states that the interval between two milk feedings should not exceed 12 hours."

Animal welfare groups, including Ethical Farming Ireland, have welcomed the action taken by the Dutch authority.

Netherlands

Over 200,000 calves have been exported from Ireland to date this year, with the Netherlands being the largest market destination for these animals on a per head basis.

These calves are transported by sea from Ireland to France before being transported by road to the Netherlands where they are mostly used for veal production.

DAFM is currently reviewing correspondence it received this week from NVWA on the authority's proposal.