M&S dismayed by footage of supplier's penned calves

M&S will be offering a crate of beer especially for Mother's Day.

Animal welfare group Animal Equality released footage of calves caged in the pens, claiming many were up to six-months-old and struggled to get into the plastic hutches.

Animal welfare laws ban solitary housing for calves beyond eight-weeks-old.

The farm, which Animal Equality named as Grange Dairy in East Chaldon, Dorset, belongs to J F Cobb & Sons.

Dr Toni Shephard, executive director of Animal Equality UK, said: “Seeing row after row of baby calves alone in tiny pens - when they should naturally still be with their mothers - is truly heartbreaking. But realising that many of these are actually older female calves who, contrary to UK animal welfare law, have been confined like this for many months is shocking.

“UK animal welfare law recognises how vitally important exercise and social interaction is for calves and restricts solitary housing to just eight weeks, yet on this farm Animal Equality found female calves as old as six months cramped and suffering in individual pens.

“We are calling on M&S to break ties with this supplier immediately. We urge all supermarkets to implement a zero-tolerance policy when farms break animal welfare laws.”

M&S confirmed the farm remained a supplier and said: “We were very disappointed to see these images. Any breach of our standards is completely unacceptable.

“Our experts have been on site and worked with the farm to take action and address the situation.

“We work hard to uphold the highest welfare standards, which is recognised by animal welfare charities.”

The J F Cobb & Sons website has an RSPCA endorsement.

Partner Nick Cobb said: “We work closely with vets and industry welfare experts to establish the best approach to looking after our animals and our health and welfare performance is industry-leading.

“There is no suggestion that the health and welfare of our animals has been compromised.”

After visiting the farm, trading standards officers said they were satisfied that there was no evidence of any breaches of animal welfare requirements.