Proposed Changes to the Dairy and Cattle Code of Welfare

The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee has recently reviewed and consulted on the minimum standards and best practice for the Code of Welfare for Dairy Cattle.

The Code was last reviewed in 2008, before the Animal Welfare Act 2015 came into force. This Act records that animals are capable of experiencing emotions; negative experiences for animals should be reduced and exposure to good experiences should be increased. As a result, a review of the Code is needed to bring the standards and regulations in line with the Act.  

The proposed changes to the Code include:

•       Changes to the body condition score requirements. This score provides an indication of a cow’s body fat reserve, which can be useful in respect of assessing the health of the cow

•       Provision of shade and shelter (previously the requirements were that animals must be provided with means to minimise the effects of adverse weather)

•       Restrictions on the use of hip clamps

•       Banning the use of electrified backing and top gates

•       Banning the use of electro-immobilisation devices

•       Transport restrictions relating to travel time, time from the cows last being milked and water being provided at collection areas, and

•       Requirements around lying areas for cattle especially within intensive winter grazing systems.

Submissions on the proposed changes closed in June of this year. The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee is now reviewing submissions.

If you have any queries in relation to the proposed changes, or what this means for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

DISCLAIMER: All the information published is true and accurate to the best of the authors knowledge. It should not be a substitute for legal advice. No liability is assumed by the authors or publisher for losses suffered by any person or organisation relying directly or indirectly on this article. Views expressed are those of individual authors, and do not necessarily reflect the view of this firm. Articles appearing in this newsletter may be reproduced with prior approval from the editor and credit given to the source. Copyright, NZ LAW Limited, 2019. Editor: Adrienne Olsen. E-mail: adrienne@adroite.co.nz. Ph: 029 286 3650 or 04 496 5513.