ISPCA calls on Agriculture Minister to investigate hundreds of dead calves on Irish farm

The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) is calling on the Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to investigate a recent discovery of "huge numbers" of dead calves on an Irish farm. 

The call was made by the ISPCA yesterday (Thursday September 8) following reports from the Limerick Leader and other media outlets of at least 100 animals discovered during an inspection of lands near Garryspillane on August 29. 

A statement from the animal welfare organisation said, "The ISPCA is horrified at reports of huge numbers of dead calves on a farm in Co Limerick and is calling on the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue TD, to ensure that the situation is thoroughly and robustly investigated, and has offered any assistance it can provide." 

The ISPCA also raised concerns about dairy calf welfare more generally, noting the Irish dairy herd has increased from 1.1million to 1.65million in recent years, an increase the organisation has previously called "rapid and unsustainable". 

In yesterday's statement, they said: "[This is] an increase the ISPCA feels may lead to an increase in the industry’s waste product, i.e. male calves which are of no use to the industry. The ISPCA believes that the best way to deal with this problem is to seek sensible policies to reverse the increase in the dairy herd." 

Read the full report from the Limerick Leader here.