Problems associated with the transport of excessively young calves

Question for written answer  E-001139/2021
to the Commission
Rule 138
Harald Vilimsky (ID)

Not only do exporters make serious errors in the transport of calves, but imprecise drafting and wording in Council Regulations also give rise to many problems.

• 1.Under the Regulations, animals should be unloaded for feeding before being reloaded again. Calves, however, need up to 9 hours after feeding to digest proteins. How does the Commission intend to revise the regulations in order to address the basic needs of calves and other animal species during transport?
• 2.Calves are watered in the vehicles by means of a mechanism which sprays water into their mouths. However, young animals are still used to suckling, for which reason, after a few attempts, they stop drinking altogether during transport. In many cases, calves do not consume food for more than 33 hours. How does the Commission intend to amend the regulations in order to guarantee the welfare of animals?
• 3.In future, how does the Commission intend to implement the hitherto neglected enforcement and control of compliance with the regulations?