Number of Jersey cows calving (FOI)

​Request

A

How many calves have been born in Jersey over the past five years?

B

Could you share the number of male calves slaughtered in the dairy industry in Jersey over the past five years?

C

Could you also share the number of female calves slaughtered in the same time for comparison?

D

What are the rules when it comes to killing the calves?

E

Has the introduction of Jersey Angus cross breeds reduced the number of male calves being killed after birth?

F

What was the number of male calves killed the year before and after they were introduced for comparison?

G

How many male calves were instead sold or kept on for meat or veal?

H

Does the States provide / offer a knackerman from the abattoir to kill the calves?

If so how much does this cost?

Response

A

The following table details the number of Jersey cows that calved between 2013 – 2017. This information was recorded by the Milk Recording Service operated by the Royal Jersey Agricultural and Horticultural Society (RJA&HS) under contract with Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture (EDTSC).

B and C

The following table details the number of calves processed by the Knackers Yard between 2013 -2017. Please note that the Knackers Yard does not record the gender of calves.

D

The killing of animals, including calves, must be done in a humane way that complies with The Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 2004, specifically offences against animals, article 4. It must be done in a way that does not cause unnecessary suffering.

Animal Welfare (Jersey) Law 2004

Calves must also be euthanised in a way that complies with the Slaughter of Animals (Jersey) Law 1962. Calves can only be killed on-farm by a licenced operator using a mechanically operated instrument that delivers instantaneous loss of consciousness and loss of sensibility followed by death.

Slaughter of Animals (Jersey) Law 1962

E

The law was amended in 2008 to allow the import of semen of additional breeds of cattle.

The introduction of Jersey cross breeds reared for beef resulted in a gradual increase in retention of calves from 2009 to 2013, since then it has levelled out.

F

The Knackers Yard started to record the number of calves they processed in 2010, therefore, there are no figures available for comparison from when the new breeds were introduced in 2008.

G

Records regarding the sale and retention of male calves for meat or veal are not maintained.

H

The States of Jersey provide this service using trained, experienced and licenced slaughtermen from the abattoir. The charge for this service in 2018 is £12.18 per animal processed inclusive of GST.