I’m fed up with talking about the weather, but I can console myself with the fact we have grabbed every opportunity so far and progress is not too bad.'Mega dairy' farmers hit back at welfare critics
THE farmers behind controversial plans for an 8,100-cow ‘mega dairy’ in Lincolnshire have accused their critics of using ‘unfounded and baseless’ claims to try and undermine the project.
Plans that would see cows managed in herds of 500 and housed in ‘open sided airy sheds’ when in milk have come under fire this week, in particular from animal welfare campaigners.
Vegetarians International Voice for Animals (Viva) is spearheading the campaign to have the plans thrown out. By Wednesday (March 4) it had 2,446 people signed up to support the cause on social networking site Facebook.
Viva director Juliet Gellatley said 8,100 dairy cows ‘being imprisoned in these dark sheds for the majority of their lives’ would be an ‘animal welfare disaster’ and was ‘the equivalent of battery farming cows’.
The campaign has received support in various national newspapers, with the Daily Mail, for example, asking readers: ‘Would you buy cheaper milk from ‘factory farmed’ cows?’
Reaction among farmers has been mixed. While some comment on Farmers Guardian’s website has been supportive, others have raised concerns about animal welfare, the potential damage to the industry’s image and the impact on smaller farmers.
But in an interview with Farmers Guardian, Graeme Surtees, Nocton’s Farm Business Consultant hit back at the criticism.
“We are not breaking the law and we are not doing anything wrong. These are unfounded claims not backed up with any real evidence on issues like cull rates and disease,” he said.
He argued that the scale of the enterprise would make it easier to manage the cows properly and ensure high welfare and health standards as it would be able to employ ‘highly skilled specialists’ in everything from stockmanship to breeding, foot trimming and calving.
“We will be using the best advice and information and the best design and construction in terms of cubicle space, lighting, ventilation and stocking. It will all be centred around the cow,” he said, claiming that the farmers involved had some of the lowest cull and disease rates and ‘just about’ the lowest carbon footprint in the country.
He said it was not Nocton’s fault that small farms are struggling. “Farms are getting larger. We knew we either had to get out and diversify or get bigger,” he said.
The group of farmers, led by Peter Willes, of North Devon, David Barnes of Lancashire, and Robert Howard, a local arable farmer, submitted their application to North Kesteven District Council.
The deadline for comments was today (March 5). By Wednesday there had been 296 responses – 278 against, five in favour and three neutral.
The council have said, however that complaints made on ethical grounds could not be considered as valid reasons to deny planning permission.
A public meeting on the application is scheduled for next Tuesday evening and the applicants are expecting to hear the verdict by May 3.
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Readers' comments (21)
Rural Voice | 8 March 2010 3:31 pm
Has anyone considered why larger and more intensive farms are appearing? Supermarkets are constantly squeezing producers, resulting in hundreds of dairy farmers going out of business. Milk is now being imported from Europe which seems crazy. If the consumer wants cheaper products then the 'anchor butter' image sadly can't continue. www.ruralvoice.co.uk
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Richard Dalton | 9 March 2010 12:16 pm
The dairy industry has already lost a customer because of this.
I now use soya milk.
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Anonymous | 9 March 2010 12:48 pm
Ok Richard - but is your soya milk GM free? Virtually all soya produced in the world is GM now (we can't grow GM crops in UK, but doesn't stop GM soya being imported). So which is it - high welfare large herds or GM imports?
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Farmers Wife | 9 March 2010 2:05 pm
Richard,
I understand what you mean but please dont be niave and think that because of 1 story you should shun a whole industry. I disagree with the 8000 cow herd, but I myself farm 400 with my partner and his family. We take pride in our work and enjoy our cows. I happily invite plenty of people around our farm to show that we care and that we do our jobs well.There will always be 'poor advocates' in every field (excuse the pun) that doesnt mean we are all bad apples!!
Nothing compares to proper milk, straight out the tank and ice cold!!!
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Anonymous | 10 March 2010 12:41 pm
stan its people like you who want to buy cheap food that is making this happen, the super markets demand cheap food so this is what happens. if there is another outbreak of foot and mouth then a afrm with 8000 cows which are kept inside all year have no other dairy farms round prob just arable there would be alot less likely to be taken out with contact which is why half the cows were taken out last time, which would be less than 20 farms milking 300-500 cows in one county effecting 20 familys more jobs and more cruelty to humans not animals. i support the idea, if you have ever been to a farm run by this company you will know what a good job they do, there cows are some of the best looked after i have ever seen, small herds milking in small buildings no air littler light bad slurry syestems have worse animal welfare, do some proper reaserch before comenting
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chris | 10 March 2010 12:55 pm
i support the idea of this mega dairy farm. but if it is not passed for animal welfare reasons and all the people who are against it bring lots of national coverage to the fact the supermarkets are keeping the price of milk down because thats what people want maybe people power will rise the price of milk as larger farms can produce cheaper milk. it can only raise the dairy farmer power againt supermarkets and the price of milk.
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Nathan White | 11 March 2010 3:34 pm
These people shouldnt complain as this project is 'consumer driven' through the demand for cheap food.
p.s. I'd love to see the slurry system!
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Dave Beynon | 12 March 2010 9:15 am
Animal welfare is surely about more than just making sure the animals are healthy:
"Centred around the cow"
If this kind of farming system was truly centred around the cow, Nocton would be giving specifics about how long their cows will spend on pasture, eating grass instead of saying that "when they are “dry” and the weather is also dry then there is plenty of grazing on the farm."
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David | 22 March 2010 5:40 pm
i want the herd managers job when it does go ahead i think it will be a fantastic enviroment for cows and staff unparalleled in this country
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suntan | 25 March 2010 2:58 pm
I can see one very good point in housing all these cows, The summer sun in Norfolk can be as intense as here in Cambridgeshire where we always brought our caws inside by lunch time througout summer when outside temperatures were in the 80 degrees. I am sure heat puts them under great stress especially if in a large herd there are cows intent on riding.
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