DAIRY & VEAL
Most dairy cows in the supermarket supply chain are Holsteins, bred for high milk yields but also associated with lameness and mastitis. Thought unprofitable for beef production, their male calves are often exported to continental veal farms or shot at birth.
The good news is that some supermarkets are starting to use more dual-purpose breed dairy cattle and have made real efforts to link up dairy and beef suppliers to find ethical uses for male dairy calves.
HOW DID THEY SCORE?
M&S came top in this section because all of its dairy cows have some access to pasture and because it prevents its dairy farmers from exporting male calves to the continent.
M&S and Tesco have both told us they will be launching initiatives in 2008 to ensure male dairy calves from their own label milk suppliers are not exported but are reared on for beef or higher-welfare British veal.
Although the veal crate is now banned across the EU, continental farmers still do not have to provide calves with bedding, unlike in the UK.
From 2008 M&S will sell only veal from UK higher welfare systems. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose sell some veal from calves reared without bedding, which would be illegal if produced in the UK.
Somerfield and Co-op came last in this section. Neither encourage farmers to rear on male dairy calves and they are both sourcing some of their milk supply from dairy cows who have had no access to pasture.
