Animal welfare has become a high profile issue among consumers and there is no room for complacency when it comes to treatment of stock, says commentator David Bayvel.

Bayvel, who is MAF’s animal welfare director, says New Zealand is highly regarded in the global community for its animal welfare standards.

But he warns that there is a danger if issues like the mistreatment of animals on Crafar farms are repeated.

“Consumers around the world are taking an increased interest with animal welfare,” he told Dairy News.

Bayvel describes the Crafar animal welfare saga as a “most unfortunate episode”.

He points out that both the industry and the Government responded rapidly to the situation.

A video showing cows starving to death at one Crafar farms at Benneydale, Waikato last year triggered a MAF investigation. Animal welfare officers, who visited the farm, were forced to put down 100 dying bobby calves.

An inspection of 22 other Crafar farms, was also ordered by Agriculture Minister David Carter. The first investigation reports are due out this month.

Bayvel chairs the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) animal welfare working group. He believes the rapid response by MAF and other stakeholders means the Crafar issue does not carry a major risk of tarnishing New Zealand’s image overseas.

He says New Zealand’s progressive animal welfare legislation, research capability and pastoral grazing systems also help in maintaining the image.

Dairy industry stakeholders Fonterra, DairyNZ and Federated Farmers are also showing strong commitment to animal welfare.

With good support from these stakeholders and both the SPCA and NZVA, programmes are run to educate farmers on best animal welfare practices. “We have to intervene in alleged breaches of legislation but prosecution is used as a last resort,” says Bayvel.