Milk is once again being collected from Canada’s largest dairy farm, where a video showing abuse of cows caused a furor earlier this month.
Chilliwack Cattle Sales produces 95,000 litres of milk a day, and much of one week’s production was dumped when Saputo refused to accept milk until it had assurances that dairy animals were being treated properly.
The milk processor said June 20 that it had received independent veterinarian reports confirming the 3,500-cow dairy in Chilliwack, B.C., had implemented desired animal welfare practices.
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The British Columbia SPCA confirmed June 23 that its investigation is ongoing. Charges may be laid against the farm owners and the eight employees shown in the video to be mistreating dairy cows.
The B.C. Dairy Association said it has taken steps to strengthen animal inspection and enforcement protocols at the farm, and the Kooyman family, which owns the dairy operation, has co-operated in implementing the recommendations.
“Right from moment one, they’ve been extremely upset about this and have actively worked to accept all recommendations, so implementation was very quick,” said Trevor Hargreaves, the association’s producer relations director.
Recommendations include installing video cameras in all barns to allow for 24-hour surveillance and immediately adopting an employee handbook clearly describing animal handling and welfare requirements.
The dairy association requested improved supervision on every shift at the dairy, particularly on the night shift, because that was when the abuse shown in the video occurred.
A system of third party, on-site random audits at the farm is also planned.
Hargreaves said the public can expect some good to come of a troubling and unacceptable situation.
“I think it’s been a very trying time within the industry, but I’ve been very pleased over the last week to see all of the key players really working hard to come together … to really make … some strong industry changes moving forward, in terms of regulation that really strengthens enforcement abilities,” he said.
