Dutch farms breaking pledge to stop Irish calf imports: NOS

Dutch veal farms are still importing young Irish calves, some as young as two weeks old, despite industry pledges to stop by this year, broadcaster NOS has found.

Using ear-tag numbers decoded with the help of AI, NOS traced 10,969 calves imported from Ireland since mid-February. Most were around a month old on arrival, and were delivered to 85 farms across the Netherlands.

The full journey takes 50 to 80 hours and includes a 19-hour ferry crossing from Dublin to Cherbourg, during which the calves cannot drink. The European Commission has found this practice to be in breach of EU rules, which require young animals to be fed at least every 12 hours.

The Dutch veal industry body said in a June 2024 report that long-distance transports would end from this year and that calves would spend no more than 14 hours without milk. Market leader VanDrie had also separately announced plans to halt Irish imports.

VanDrie declined to tell NOS whether it still imports Irish calves, although the broadcaster traced 476 animals to a farm that lists VanDrie as a partner on its website. The company has previously said it backs phasing out the transports, and was targeted by animal rights activists at its Apeldoorn abattoirs last July.

Animal welfare legislation drafted by the pro-animal rights PvdD, which would have required farm animals to be able to display natural behaviour, was watered down in 2024 after the anti-immigration PVV reversed its support. Dutch rules on calf housing have also previously been found to fall short of EU welfare standards.

Animal welfare groups Dier&Recht, Eyes on Animals and Ethical Farming Ireland have called on VanDrie to stop the imports and on food and product safety authority NVWA to take action. New EU rules on live animal transport are currently being discussed in Brussels.