Last week, European animal organizations released video footage showing the sometimes rough unloading of trucks carrying Irish calves. These organizations do this annually.
The calves from Ireland must rest and be fed in Cherbourg after their sea transport before they can be further transported by truck. The French customs and veterinary authorities are responsible for enforcing compliance with such EU regulations.
The Irish agricultural newspaper Agriland reports that Irish traders have noticed that demand from EU countries has almost completely stopped in recent days, apparently to circumvent the annually increased inspections.
The Irish Cooperative Organisation Society (ICOS) has asked livestock traders to "work closely with their markets. This may require holding the calves slightly longer than usual," according to ICOS. On Friday evening, the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) sent an email to calf exporters stating that the reception site in Cherbourg has been suspended with immediate effect.
All Irish calves traveling via the port of Cherbourg to mainland Europe pass through one of the two control stations near Cherbourg. Once the calves disembark, they go directly to one of these two control stations which serve as feeding stations for the calves, where they are subsequently fed and rest for about 12 hours.
This is the third setback that the transport of Irish calves to mainland Europe has suffered this year. Stormy weather conditions and a strike in France also caused the cancellation of several livestock sailings over the past three weeks.