Macra has strongly condemned the “shocking practices” involving dairy bull calves shown during an RTÉ Investigates programme last night (Monday, July 10).
The programme documented bull calves being kicked, beaten with sticks, dragged by their ears and tails and thrown on and off trailers at several marts across the country.
The farming organisation said that its members “have always stated a zero-tolerance approach to the mistreatment of animals”.
“What was shown throughout the programme is truly disturbing. As farmers we care for our animals and we never want to see them mistreated as depicted in the RTÉ Investigates show,” Elaine Houlihan, Macra national president, said.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue has condemned what he described as the “shocking practices” witnessed on the programme.
Dairy
Since 2019, Macra has been calling on the government to provide supports around the use of sexed semen in the dairy herd.
The farming organisation believes this will “incentivise more viable breeding practices”.
“In our pre-budget submission for Budget 2024 we are calling on the government once again for further action around sexed semen,” Houlihan said.
Macra has welcomed the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine’s (DAFM) announcement that they will be conducting a full investigation into the breaches highlighted around animal welfare.
“We encourage anybody who has witnessed any breach of the law to report it to the relevant authority, in this instance DAFM.
“The dairy industry is extremely important to the Irish economy, and we need to ensure that those who act inappropriately towards animals are punished appropriately.
“The actions of a few have created a threat to the industry’s reputation, which is unacceptable,” the Macra president said.