Scientist who snapped thin cows hailed

CLIVE DALTON

STARVING: These seriously emaciated cows were offered at the Morrinsvilla sale last month. By law, they should not have been offered for sale or accepted by the agents.

Relevant offers

Clive Dalton, the former agricultural scientist whose photographs of skinny cows at Morrinsville saleyards prompted two animal welfare investigations, has been heralded by DairyNZ as one of the foremost experts in the field.

DairyNZ chairman John Luxton, speaking at the launch of the Animal Welfare (Dairy Cattle) Code of Welfare 2010 on Friday, described Dr Dalton as "one of our eminent scientists in this area of dairy systems".

Dr Dalton, a Waikato Times Farmer columnist and former Wintec lecturer, who represented the SPCA on the new code's review committee, said the emaciated mob should not have been transported or sold by law and blamed farmer ignorance of DairyNZ's body condition scoring system which defines cows under body condition score three as emaciated.

Waikato Federated Farmers president Stew Wadey called for the 10-point system to be simplified and, until the launch of the new code, DairyNZ denied there was a problem.

Tim Mackle, DairyNZ chief executive, told the Times no-one had asked DairyNZ directly for an overhaul of the system. "I am not personally aware of any feedback from farmers saying that they don't think the system is a good one. If there is a feeling that it is not I would like to hear about it."

The 48-page code, launched by Agriculture Minister David Carter at DairyNZ's research farm at Newstead, was written by the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee following consultation with the industry and the public and took three years to complete.

Dr Mackle said the new code improved on its predecessor by focusing on the outcomes for animals.

"The new code re-enforced the welfare outcomes we want for our cows, without being prescriptive, and it points farmers to recommended good practices."

Dr Dalton said a hard copy of the code should be delivered via milk tankers and nailed on every farm gate. The code covers stockmanship and husbandry, food and water, shade and shelter, and general health.

A Maf investigation into the cows photographed ended because the saleyards was unable to supply information on the animal's ownership, and an SPCA investigation is under way.

Mr Luxton said he hoped the new code would strengthen the industry's international reputation. "Our approach to welfare and stockmanship is widely respected because it is backed by the world's best science, which farmers fund through their DairyNZ industry levy. Our dairy farmers have a history of taking proactive steps to keep ahead of the demands of our international consumers, which is why we have that respect. This code is another positive step."

Mr Carter, who last week moved the first reading of a beefed-up Animal Welfare Amendment Bill in a bid to stamp out severe cruel treatment of animals, said the dairy industry could take a bow for the way it had involved itself in the process.

John Bluett, vice chairman of Federated Farmers Dairy Industry Group which had submitted on the code, described it as two documents in one. "First we have the core code itself, the minimum standard, while there are also recommended best practices."

Mr Bluett said while he could see why the two were rolled into one document they should have been published separately. "By rolling the two together, lay-people could easily confuse what they see as not meeting a legal minimum, when in fact, it's actually best practice guidance."

Mr Bluett said the best practice ele-ments of the code would make a good training tool and the industry saw stockmanship as a vital skill set.

"It's what we're judged on and is fundamental to sustaining consumer trust. Stockmanship is something dairy farmers need to develop in themselves and any staff who interact with farm animals. Good stockmanship is also sound business practice. It increases the productivity of our dairy cattle and that increases the profitability of our individual farms."

- © Fairfax NZ News