That this House is firmly opposed to the proposed dairy unit in Lincolnshire housing up to 8,100 cows that will be kept indoors for most of the year; notes that the cows are likely to produce extremely high milk yields; further notes that the key finding of a 2009 scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority is that breeding for high milk yield is the major factor causing poor welfare to cows; believes that cows should be farmed in pasture-based systems as these enable them to express natural behaviours and are associated with lower levels of lameness; further believes that the proposed unit is taking UK dairy farming in the wrong direction and that the way forward lies in the use of healthy robust herds with lower milk yields but higher net margins for farmers due to lower culling rates, lower heifer replacement costs and higher sale prices for their calves and cull cows; and urges retailers and producers of dairy products not to source milk from such large-scale intensive dairy units where cows receive only minimal grazing.
The Early day motion has received
an amendment
sponsored by
Nigel Evans
(primary, Conservative) and tabled on Monday, 29 March 2010.
It has been signed by
1 members in total.
Amendment
1
-
LARGE-SCALE DAIRY UNITS
(1037A1)
leave out from `House' to `proposed' and insert `notes proposals for a'.
The Early day motion has received
a
second amendment.
Amendment
2
-
LARGE-SCALE DAIRY UNITS
(1037A2)
leave out from `year' to end and insert `further notes the fact that the most environmentally sensitive and sustainable way to farm is to produce the maximum amount, from the minimum land, using the minimum non-renewable resources, as stated by Chief Scientist at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Professor Ian Crute; recognises that cows should have access to as much pasture time as possible; understands that in most parts of the country it would be impractical to have dairy cows outside for any more than four or five months due to poor weather and availability of grazing; further notes that if the welfare of cows in the Lincolnshire proposal was at all in question then the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs would have stepped in on behalf of the Government; and urges retailers and producers of dairy products to recognise the points above.'.