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Our Animal Welfare Policy

 

Milk & More believe that animal welfare and sustainable business go hand in hand. Our customers expect and trust us to ensure that animals in our supply chain are well treated, healthy and safe. Rearing animals well is vital to ensuring the quality of the products we sell.

Milk & More works closely with our suppliers to ensure this policy is implemented, and that animals are kept safe, comfortable, and healthy. We have a responsibility to be a leader in animal welfare, it is the right thing to do and therefore we are committed to driving up animal welfare standards based on the five freedoms as defined by the Farm Animal Welfare Council. These are:

1. Freedom from Hunger and Thirst - by ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour
2. Freedom from Discomfort - by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
3. Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease - by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment
4. Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour - by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind
5. Freedom from Fear and Distress - by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering

The requirements of our Animal Welfare Policy are:


Base Standards

  • As a minimum all our producers must adhere to current legislative requirements and meet at least one National or Industry Farm Assurance Scheme standard (e.g. UK Red Tractor).
  • Animal welfare or husbandry systems that that are prohibited in UK legislation must not be used. This also applies to livestock-derived products sourced from outside of the UK.
  • All the meat and poultry must come from animals that have been humanely slaughtered, and animals must be pre-slaughter stunned.
  • All farmers and those involved in the handling of livestock must be appropriately trained and competent to care for them.
The use of production systems and confinement systems that can never fulfil an animal’s welfare needs are banned. This includes:
  • Caged systems for laying hens and poultry;
  • The rearing of calves for white veal;
  • The use of the sow stalls for pigs and tether systems for dairy cows.
  • Genetic engineering or cloning of livestock is prohibited.
  • The use of growth promoters is not permitted.


Livestock Health

  • All livestock used for the production of our foods must be maintained in good health and veterinary medicine use must only be used for the treatment of sick or injured animals.
  • Any sick or injured animals must be treated promptly.
  • Veterinary medicines must only be used according to veterinary advice.
  • All antimicrobial use for all animals must be recorded through documentation in a manual or electronic medicine book.
  • Antimicrobials deemed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as highest priority critically important for use in human medicine, including 3rd and 4th generation Cephalosporins, Fluoroquinolones, Macrolides or colistin are not permitted for use in our supply chains, other than as a last resort supported by diagnostic testing to protect animal welfare. All treatments of this type must be notified to Muller Agricultural team.
  • Prophylactic treatment and routine use of antibiotics is not permitted.
  • No medicines or substances are permitted to be employed to artificially promote animal growth.

These key requirements must be met by all suppliers and will be used as part of the selection, assessment, review and buying process.

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Organic Standards for Dairy Cows

The Soil Association set out additional standards for dairy cows. All our organic milk complies with these extra standards.
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  • Free range - By law, cows must be at pasture whenever conditions allow, over 200 days on average
  • Fewer pesticides & no artificial fertilisers used on pasture
  • Cows fed a grass-rich, GM free diet (minimum 60% grass-based)

Organic dairy cows are generally not pushed to their milk producing limits in the same way other cows can be. Average yields in organic milk production are around 20% less than in intensive production. 

​​​​​​​Organic dairy cows eat a 100% organic diet. Soil Association farmers must always feed their cattle at least 60% fresh or dried fodder, roughage or silage on a daily basis.

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