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The Dutch government is continuing its investigation into suspected fraud relating to registration of newborn calves.
Of the 2,100 farms where cattle movements were restricted, at least 150 are now free to move animals again. However, the Dutch agriculture ministry said a large number of dairy farmers do not have their records in order.
Inspections on a sample of 99 companies revealed that registration details of 47 companies did not match the situation on the farms.
“An official report has been drawn up against these companies. These results have led to further administrative investigation. The research will be continued in the coming weeks,” the ministry said.
Fifty farms had blockades lifted after they updated their identification and registration systems. The investigation relates to irregularities in the registration of cows and heifers.
In early 2017, the Netherlands introduced a phosphate reduction plan which involved a large cull of dairy cows from the national herd in order to keep its nitrates exemption.
Under the Dutch phosphate reduction plan, a dairy cow counts as one large livestock unit (1LU), whereas heifers count as 0.5LU. The Dutch agriculture ministry believes farmers have registered several calves to one cow as a multiple birth such as twins, reducing, on paper, their livestock numbers.
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