16 Feb 2022
“…Welfare remains a priority for most British dairy farmers. The scenes of abuse we saw on Panorama are an intolerable exception” – BCVA president Elizabeth Berry.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Shocking scenes of cows being kicked, punched and struck with shovels in a new BBC documentary have been condemned as “intolerable” by the BCVA.
In a statement, the association said incidents of abuse captured in undercover footage taken for Panorama’s exposé, “A Cow’s Life: The True Cost of Milk?”, which aired on BBC One on 14 February, were “inexcusable”.
The documentary highlighted a south Wales dairy farm where footage showed scenes of workers forcing cows to move by hitting and kicking them, as well as refusing to pay a vet to euthanise a suffering cow.
Now, the BCVA has demanded the abuse be reported to authorities immediately, with president Elizabeth Berry describing the scenes as an “intolerable exception”.
Dr Berry said: “Farming is an industry that relies on the trust of consumers, and all of us involved with this community understand that even while working in a challenging environment with increasingly smaller margins, welfare remains a priority for most British dairy farmers. The scenes of abuse we saw on Panorama are an intolerable exception.
“Other aspects of the programme did highlight the need for greater consumer understanding about how our food is produced and what it actually takes to produce it.
“Vets, paraprofessionals including foot trimmers, and health assurance schemes like Red Tractor all aim to elevate standards and provide evidence-based support to the farmers we work alongside.
“We share an ambition to prioritise the welfare of food-producing animals and want to meet the expectations of consumers – that requires zero tolerance of abuse, investment and education, and a willingness to pay a fair retail price.”
The BCVA statement went on to discuss the issue of calf separation, which it described as an aspect of dairy farming least likely to be understood by the consumer.
The statement read: “There is a long-standing debate on the relative benefits of early separation and certainly time periods will vary from farm to farm, with some farms opting for prolonged cow-calf contact. However, early separation remains the predominant approach in the UK due to the welfare benefits of cow and calf.
“The Farm Animal Welfare Council supports the view that early separation minimises stress, offering both production and health benefits. This also allows for better colostrum management, which is still recognised as the single most important factor to preventing calf morbidity and mortality, as well as preventing greater incidents of mastitis for the cow.”
The statement continued: “One of the scenes that many viewers would have found distressing is the use of a hip hoist to move a recumbent cow. Having to deal with a ‘downer cow’ is not an uncommon incident on farm and a successful outcome relies on swift action.
“Hip hoists can be a useful tool to help lift downer cows to prevent them from pressure-related injury. However, this is intended to lift the cow, rather than to move it, and should be used under the supervision of someone experienced in operating this equipment correctly.
“The cow must be free from injury, lifted over a soft surface where possible, and the hoist should be removed only once the cow is fully weight-bearing or when it is clearly offering no further benefit.
“Where a downer cow is responsive, alert, eating, and drinking then attempting to rise them is advisable and full recovery is often possible. The BCVA is working on a guidance document for its members and their clients.”
The Panorama documentary also featured cows suffering from lameness – something the BCVA’s statement said was “top of the veterinary agenda” in the UK.
Dr Berry added: “We need to recognise the importance of teamwork when it comes to meeting and raising welfare standards in UK dairy farming.
“Collaboration and education will be key if we want to earn and retain a reputation of trust with UK consumers, and we need to take care of those who produce our food, too, with educational and mental health support.
“While abuse at any level can’t be tolerated, we equally need to celebrate and support those who dedicate their lives striving for better welfare and higher health standards on farm.”
Following the documentary, animal law firm Advocates for Animals has sent a legal complaint on behalf of its client Animal Equality UK to Carmarthenshire County Council, urging it to investigate the farm covered in the programme.
Abigail Penny, executive director of Animal Equality UK, said: “We are urging the authorities to use the full force of the law to hold this farm accountable for its abusive actions towards animals.
“A conviction of cruelty won’t help those cows that were brutally beaten or left to die in agony overnight, but it will send a strong message to this industry that the UK will not tolerate such cruelty.”
