Unweaned calves die of cold and hunger

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - The gut-wrenching sight of 56 starving and dying dairy calves greeted the Garden Route SPCA (GRSPCA) inspectorate at a cold and derelict abattoir in Albertinia, just outside Mossel Bay on Monday 31 August.

The animals were confined to a lairage/enclosure with water saturated damaged concrete flooring, no bedding and littered with excrement.

As GRSPCA officials shone their torches through the metal bars to assess the welfare of the calves – the calves bellowed in hunger and attempted to stand.

Many of them were so weak from diarrhoea and dehydration that they were unable to rise from the ice-cold floor.

Some already dead, others soon to follow. Unweaned calves must be fed every six hours with a suitable milk replacement if they are separated from their mothers and have suitable dry bedding provided.

The calves had been collected by the owner from various dairy farms around the Albertinia area.

They were destined for slaughter at the Riversdale abattoir. According to the owner, the Riversdale abattoir was unable to slaughter the animals on the day, and a decision was made to keep them in the decommissioned abattoir in Albertinia overnight.

The owner was aware of the suffering endured by the animals in her care. She knew that they were hungry and cold, some dead and dying. She remained insistent that the animals suffer until the morning, when she could take those that survived the night, to the abattoir.
The GRSPCA refused to allow them to suffer any longer. By morning they would all be dead, having suffered agonising deaths in temperatures in the early hours of the morning of 3°C.
"Our team had to undertake the difficult task of euthanising the calves on site. All of the calves still had their umbilical cords attached – confirmation that they were all under 21 days old," said senior inspector Cheri Cooke.

The owner will be charged in terms of the provisions of the Animals Protection Act 71 of 1962.

Male calves are of no use to the farmer, and are classed as the ‘waste products’ of the dairy industry. Taken from their mothers shortly after birth – SANS 1694:2018 The welfare of dairy cattle states that they must be fed and housed until 10 days old when they are supposedly strong enough to withstand the journey to the abattoir for slaughter.

The Garden Route SPCA urges the owners of animals to take full responsibility for their actions. Whether you own a pet, or, if you are profiting financially from animals – their welfare is your responsibility, and you are accountable in terms of national legislation for any omissions or commissions.

Senior inspector Cheri Cooke with one of the calves.