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Support for the prolonged campaign by animal welfarists initiated
by VEGA and augmented by revelations of farming practices
relevant to the foot-and-mouth crisis have gained appreciation
by Government. Junior DEFRA Minister Lord Whitty said that
it hoped for fewer movements of cattle and sheep in future.
Citing the report of the Curry Commission on farming and food
(to which VEGA contributed evidence), Lord Whitty noted that
sheep are involved in as many as 8 journeys through livestock
dealers and markets, between their birthplace and the finishing
farm. "Some of this is traditional and necessary. But
8 journeys, 8 changes of management, and 8 lots of transport
costs? I hope the Industry Forum will examine whether this
is really necessary or sensible. I do query whether markets
are the greatest form of transparency in the chain. I think
auction markets have a role in future, but probably less of
one" (Farmers Weekly, 15 March 2002).
Mr Kingwill, chairman of the Livestock Auctioneers' Association,
disagrees: "We will fight long and hard to preserve the
movement of stock and the process of fixing a price in a live
market." And VEGA notes that there remain the journeys
"down the road" and over the sea between the finishing
farm and lairage at the slaughterhouse.
A certification scheme for hauliers and a ban on the transport
of very young animals are being considered in Brussels to
improve the welfare of livestock in transit. A repost from
the commission's Scientific Committee on Animal Health and
Welfare says poor loading techniques, bad driving , and lack
of inspection are the main causes of welfare problems.
It calls for proper training and certification of personnel
responsible for the animals during transport, plus a system
of bonuses for drivers who achieve low mortality rates and
injury levels (Farmers Weekly, 22 March 2002).
Only about half of the livestock markets operating before
last year's outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease were up and
running by mid-April 2002: about 90 compared to 176 a year
before. The Livestock Auctioneers Association (LAA) predicts
an eventual return to about 90% of the total number of auction
marts in business at the beginning of 2001. At mid-April "quite
a lot of the markets are in operation but working as collection
centres, which means they are handling cattle direct but they
are not going through the auction system," says David
Brown of the LAA (Meat Trades Journal, 11 April 2002). He
expects that store cattle will be running at the same figure
or possibly more. Fat cattle will be running at 50% lower
than foot-and-mouth levels." The figures will rise, he
expects, when the 20-day restriction of movements is lifted.
The Meat and Livestock Commission has figures for throughputs
for the weeks ending 23 March 2002 and the corresponding week
in 2000.
Sales by videoed auctioning are likely to increase.
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