Lithuania | Calves from Lithuania

Since the EU accession the Lithuanian dairy producers have to follow EU regulations. For some of them this was the possibility to grow and to get subsidies and for others it was simply the end, especially for the small farms with 1 to 2 cows. Our team visits a farm that expanded since 2009 from 10 to 100 dairy cows, built huge stables, bought new machines and received 50 % from EU money. Now prices are down for the milk and also the prices for the male calves. We see an apathic and sick calf and the farmer explains that he could not afford paying a veterinarian for this calf. With the age of 14 days the calves are sold off to countries that are specialized in fattening of calves. Some of the assembly stations we find are run down stables and calves are collected for hours from the farms in the area, before they are finally transported, amongst other destinations, to the harbours in the South of Europe and shipped to Israel and Lebanon.
Due to the fact that unweaned calves can not be supplied with adequate liquid and their immune system is still weak, animals die during these journeys. We are working against the systematic failure of the member states to comply with EC regulation 1/2005 in regards of long distance transport of unweaned calves. In compliance with the regulation the transports of unweaned calves can not exceed 8 hours.