Group keeps close eye on livestock transport
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• by Tim Maughan An animal welfare group says its investigations into British livestock trucks travelling to the Continent will continue after an incident in which 60 sheep died en route to Greece.
Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) says it discovered a Greek-registered truck in Bari, southern Italy, on 7 August. The vehicle had contained 4110 British sheep—the 60 animals died as a result of exhaustion and dehydration, says CIWF.
Although the truck concerned was Greek, CIWF says it is likely that a British haulier was responsible for transporting the consignment from the UK to a depot in France, Belgium or Holland, from where it was collected by the Creek operator.
The incident has prompted CIWF to call on UK farmers to withdraw from live exports. It claims meat already accounts for up to 90% of sheep exports—and the group believes the entire live export market could be removed.
Ross Minett, CIWF campaigns officer, says its "undercover unit" will continue to scrutinise hauliers involved in the live export market. We will fellow trucks to make sure they are following the correct procedures," says Minett.
But Terry Bayliss, chairman of Farmers Ferry, the sole cress-channel live export operator, claims the sheep were from Spain. He is confident that the live export market to the Continent will remain "buoyant".