The Welfare of Calves Regulations 1987

Statutory Instruments

1987 No. 2021

ANIMALS

PREVENTION OF CRUELTY

The Welfare of Calves Regulations 1987

Made

23rd January 1987

Coming into force

1st January 1990

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, acting jointly in exercise of powers conferred by section 2 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968(1) and now vested in them(2), and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, and after consultation with such persons appearing to them to represent any interests concerned as they have considered appropriate, hereby make the following Regulations, a draft of which has been approved by resolution of each House of Parliament:

Title, extent and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Welfare of Calves Regulations 1987, shall apply to Great Britain and shall come into force on 1st January 1990.

Requirements for the welfare of calves

2.  No person shall keep, or knowingly cause or permit to be kept, a single calf in a pen or a stall on any agricultural land unless the following requirements are complied with—

(a) the width of the pen or stall is not less than the height of the calf at the withers;

(b) the calf is free to turn round without difficulty;

(c) the calf is fed a daily diet containing sufficient iron to maintain it in full health and vigour; and

(d) if the calf is more than 14 days old, it has access each day to food containing sufficient digestible fibre so as not to impair the development of its rumen.

Offences

3.  A person who contravenes or fails to comply with any provision of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence under section 2 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968.

In Witness whereof the Official Seal of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is hereunto affixed on

L.S.

John MacGregor

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

22nd November 1987.

Sanderson of Bowden

Minister of State, Scottish Office

22nd November 1987

Peter Walker

Secretary of State for Wales

23rd November 1987

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations prohibit a person from keeping a single calf in a pen or stall on agricultural land unless certain specified requirements are complied with, and which include requirements as to the width of the pen or stall and the daily diet which is to be fed to the calf (regulation 2).

A breach of any provision of these Regulations is an offence under section 2 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 (regulation 3).

(1)

1968 c. 34.

(2)

In the case of the Secretary of State for Wales, by virtue of S.I. 1978/272.