The Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994

Regulation 3(2)

SCHEDULE 2 CALVES

1.—(1) Where calves are housed in groups, they shall have sufficient unobstructed floor space to be able to turn round and lie down without hindrance, and in any event each calf of 150 kg or more live weight must have at least 1.5 square metres unobstructed floor space.

(2) Until 1st January 2004, the preceding sub-paragraph shall not apply in relation to accommodation in use before 1st January 1994.

(3) Where tethers are used, they must not cause injury to the calves and must be inspected regularly and adjusted as necessary to ensure a comfortable fit. Each tether must be of sufficient length to allow the calves to stand up, lie down, rest and groom itself without hindrance. The design must be such as to avoid, as far as possible, any risk of strangulation or injury.

2.  Where a calf is housed in an individual stall or pen—

(a) the stall or pen shall have at least one perforated wall which enables the calf to see other animals in neighbouring pens or stalls unless isolated for veterinary reasons, except that until 1st January 2004, this shall not apply in relation to accommodation in use before 1st January 1994;

(b) the width of the stall or pen shall be no less than the height of the calf at the withers;

(c) the calf must be able to stand up, turn round, lie down, rest and groom itself without hindrance.

3.  Materials used for the construction of calf accommodation and all equipment with which calves may come into contact shall not be harmful to the calves and shall be capable of being thoroughly cleansed and disinfected.

4.  Insulation, heating and ventilation of the building must ensure that the air circulation, dust level, temperature, air relative humidity and gas concentrations are kept within limits which are not harmful to the calves.

5.—(1) All automatic equipment shall be thoroughly inspected by a stock-keeper, or other competent person, not less than once each day to check that there is no defect in it.

(2) Where a defect is found in the automatic equipment (whether on inspection of the equipment in accordance with this paragraph or at any other time)—

(a) the defect shall be rectified forthwith, or

(b) if this is impracticable, such measures shall immediately be taken and shall be maintained until the defect is rectified, as are required to safeguard the calves from suffering unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress as a result of the defect.

(3) Where the automatic equipment includes a ventilation system the system shall contain—

(a) an alarm which will give adequate warning of the failure of that system to function properly (which alarm will operate even if the principal electricity supply to it has failed), and

(b) additional equipment or means of ventilation (whether automatic or not), which, in the event of such a failure of the ventilation system, will provide adequate ventilation so as to prevent the calves from suffering unnecessary distress as a result of the failure.

(4) The alarm system mentioned in the preceding sub-paragraph shall be tested and the additional equipment mentioned there shall be thoroughly inspected, in each case, by a stock-keeper or other competent person not less than once every seven days in order to check that there is no defect in it and, if any defect is found in such alarm or equipment (whether or not on it being tested or inspected in accordance with this paragraph) it shall be rectified forthwith.

6.  Calves must not be kept permanently in darkness. To meet their behavioural and physiological needs, appropriate natural or artificial lighting shall be provided; if the latter, it must function for a period at least equivalent to the period of natural light normally available between 9.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. In addition, suitable lighting (fixed or portable) strong enough to allow the calves to be inspected at any time shall be available.

7.  Calves in intensive systems shall be thoroughly inspected by a stock-keeper not less than once each day to check that they are in a state of well-being.

8.  Where calves are found not to be in a state of well-being such measures shall immediately be taken as are required to safeguard them from unnecessary pain or unnecessary distress. Sick or injured calves shall, where necessary, be isolated in suitable accommodation with dry, comfortable bedding. Veterinary advice must be obtained as soon as possible for calves which are not responding to the stock-keeper’s care.

9.  Housing, pens, equipment and utensils used for calves must as necessary be properly cleansed and disinfected to prevent cross-infection and the build-up of disease-carrying organisms, and faeces, urine and uneaten or spilt food must be removed as often as necessary to minimise smell and avoid attracting flies or rodents.

10.  Where calves are kept in a building, floors must be smooth but not slippery so as to prevent injury to the calves and so designed as not to cause injury or suffering to calves standing or lying on them. They must be suitable for the size and weight of the calves and form a rigid, even and stable surface. Appropriate bedding must be provided for all calves less than two weeks old.

11.  All calves shall be kept on, or have access at all times to, a lying area which is clean, comfortable and does not adversely affect the calves, and is well drained or well maintained with dry bedding.

12.  Calves shall be fed on a wholesome diet appropriate to their age, weight, species and behavioural and physiological needs, which includes sufficient iron and which is fed to them in sufficient quantity to maintain them in good health and to promote a positive state of well-being.

13.  If the calf is more than 14 days old, it shall have access each day to dried feed or forage material containing sufficient digestible fibre (which shall be not less than 100-200 grammes daily depending on the age of the animal) so as not to impair the development of its rumen.

14.  Calves must not be muzzled.

15.  All calves must be fed at least once a day. Where calves are housed in a group and do not have continuous access to feed, or are not fed by an automatic feeding system, each calf must have access to the food at the same time as the others in the feeding group.

16.  All calves shall be provided with an adequate supply of fresh drinking water each day.

17.  Feeding and watering equipment must be designed, constructed, placed and maintained so that contamination of the calves' feed and water is minimised.

18.  The interior of any building (including the floor) to which calves have access shall be so constructed and maintained that there are no sharp edges or protrusions likely to cause injury or distress to the calves.

19.  No inadequately constructed or insecure fittings shall be used for restraining calves.

20.  No person shall apply an electrical current to calves for the purposes of immobilisation.