Young calves need rest before long journeys

Young calves should have an opportunity to rest before taking long journeys from Rosslare was the view of a Fianna Fáil councillor at a recent meeting.
Cllr Caillian Ellis proposed that Ballinamore Municipal District write to the Department of Agriculture and the Minister for Agriculture, Charlie McConalogue in relation to putting a lairage (a place where cattle or sheep may be rested on the way to market or slaughtered) in Rosslare to facilitate the shipping of livestock from this country.
He said that, in his view, this would especially benefit suckler calves and noted that the latest Teagasc modelling suggests a 29% cut in the suckler herd and an increase in the dairy herd of 8%.
Cllr Ellis was speaking after a recent report showed that Cork calves spent 23 hours with no food on an export journey to France with paperwork appearing to suggest some unweaned calves go for more than 24 hours without food on some shipments from Ireland to France.
Another journey log appears to show that calves were left on a truck for four and a half hours before the lorry was loaded onto the ship at Rosslare for the 18-hour voyage to Cherbourg Port.
Cllr Ellis said: "Some of these calves see a lot of movement even before they get to Rosslare. "It's the start of their journey and some may only be sold the day before and loaded that night so I'd suggest they are properly rested before they start their journey."
Cllr Brendan Barry said that everyone involved "whether in the mart, or exporters or farmers; there can be no room for error and everyone needs to look after these animals to the best of their ability and make sure we can keep live exports open out of this country and make sure they arrive healthy and in very good condition."
> He said that lorry drivers must have "drinkers available for the calves and electrolytes and vitamins and there is nutrition right through the journey. It's in their interest to ensure they arrive healthy for repeat custom."