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It is important that all calves are treated well, not just the calves that you are planning to keep as replacements. bobby calves need equal care even though their lives are short and their value often small. it is important that all animals are well cared for so that our industry maintains its reputation for working at the highest standards of animal husbandry and welfare. |
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Selecting bobby calves for transport
Bobby calves going to slaughter must:
- Be at least four days old
- Be healthy, with no visible disease (e.g. scours), deformity, injury, blindness or disability
- Have bright eyes and upright ears
- Be strong, able to rise from a lying position unassisted, move freely around the pen and bear weight on all four limbs
- Have firm hooves on which the soles show wear (indicating that they have been mobile)
- Have a dry and withered navel.
Make it easy for the truck driver
- Calves should be individually assessed for fitness to transport. Unfit animals must be withheld until fit or humanely destroyed
- A raised pen (70-100cm off the ground) should be used to hold calves before transport
- Where possible assist the truck driver with loading the animals. Not only does it make the job easier, it enables you to ensure the animals areloaded correctly
- Calves should be fed as close to transport as possible and no more than two hours before pick-up.
For further information refer to:
