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The practice of destroying livestock on-farm following a TB outbreak has been condemned by Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) animal health and welfare chair Hugh Farrell.
Farrell said: “This primarily concerns the destruction by shooting of calves in farmyards.
"While older cattle are removed to the factory, the calves that remain are destroyed on-site by a knackery service, a practice which can be extremely distressing for farmers.”
Complaints
Farrell said the ICSA had received several complaints about the practise and called on the Department of Agriculture to seriously reconsider its protocols.
“Once these animals have been commandeered by the Department, the onus should be on the Department to remove them from the farm and dispose of them in an appropriate manner,” Farrell said.
He added that farmers should be fully compensated for the calf under the on-farm marker valuation system and knackery charges should be borne by the Department.
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