Animal Welfare Is Always A Priority

NEW ZEALAND - Dr Richard Wild, President of the New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA), spoke to the Federated Farmers annual Dairy Council Meeting in Ashburton to discuss an issue close to both groups’ hearts, our animals.
calendar icon 21 February 2011
clock icon 1 minute read

“The well being of our animals has always been considered a priority for the sector,” says Lachlan McKenzie, Federated Farmers Dairy Council chair.

“Dr Wild raised some great issues and pushed the debate on animal welfare forward.

“Our industry holds itself to a high standard and works actively to stomp out any cruelty to cattle, whether calves, bulls or heifers.

“We agree with Dr Wild that animal welfare is now a part of management best practise and go a step further. We see it not just as a moral issue but it also makes good business sense.

“Our farmers maintain high ethical standards and love their animals. We work hard with DairyNZ, MAF and the NZVA to ensure there is a viable standard we can work to, based on scientific best practise.

“We are also working to ensure repeat offenders are cut off from supply, because this bad ‘branding’ funnels through the whole sector. The public votes with their feet and animal neglect, obviously, doesn’t sell.

“However, sometimes the public’s perception of animal welfare is quite different to the realities in our industry. It’s also important we don’t allow isolated incidents to tarnish the whole industry.

“We have a great story to tell here, our animals have some wonderful countryside to feed in and happy cows produce wonderful milk,” Mr McKenzie concluded.

TheCattleSite News Desk

© 2000 - 2024 - Global Ag Media. All Rights Reserved | No part of this site may be reproduced without permission.