I doubt he would care that much as he has got paid for the cow already if it’s on the cattle boats. By the way, you know the Dept Of Agri send Irish vets on the cattle boats.
Facts are stubborn things.
Cattle
Just over 9,000 cattle were exported to Libya in 2022 and shipments to Turkey resumed with 5,400 head going out. There were 11 shipments in total transporting over 20,000 cattle and 300 sheep.
Countries can include Turkey, Libya, Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Jordan and Egypt are new markets with two shipments headed to each in 2022, plus Israel has been added with two shipments so far in 2023.
Sea journeys are very stressful for land animals and they suffer from motion sickness just like humans do.
Some animals die during the 8 to 16 day journey – an average of three per shipment. The most common cause is respiratory illness. Many more become sick or injured.
Excessive lurching of the vessels in rough seas causes the cattle to spend more time lying down which can cause bloat. This is extremely painful and potentially lethal.
Cattle that have come from grassy fields are fed a lot of meal on board and this sudden change in diet can cause acidosis which creates acid in the rumen and can be fatal.
The pens have a thin layer of sawdust and are only cleaned once during the journey. The animals end up knee deep in manure which can lead to slippage and injury.
Humidity levels are high in the sea vessels and the animals are breathing in ammonia fumes from all the waste in the pens. They will suffer from varying degrees of heat stress and respiratory illness.
Cattle find any changes in routine stressful, and fear can be induced by loud noises and movements, being rushed, dark spaces and heights, and this can lead to slippage and injuries. It is clear from observations at shipment loadings that the cattle are afraid and do not want to enter the vessel.
The animal welfare legislation in the destination countries is minimal and not enforced.
Investigations have shown inhumane methods of slaughter are used including slashing tendons, stabbing in the eyes, being strung up by a rear leg, multiple slashes at the throat.
Cattle also endure long journeys by truck to countries like Morocco, which takes 10 days to complete.
These journeys breach several EU and Irish Regulations including EU Regulation 1/2005 on the transport of animals that states animals should not be transported in a way likely to cause injury or undue suffering to them, EU Regulation 1099/2009 on the protection of animals at the time of killing that states animals shall be spared any avoidable pain, distress or suffering during their killing and related operations, Ireland’s Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 that states a person shall not do anything or permit anything to be done to an animal that causes unnecessary suffering, or endangers the health or welfare of the animal and Ireland’s Slaughter of Animals Act 1935 that states no animal should be slaughtered in front of another, and no animals should be slaughtered by any means which causes any unnecessary, avoidable, or excessive pain or suffering.
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