High Welfare Veal Initiative
Outline Protocol
August’10
Dorset Veal Initiative
 Exclusive veal initiative, with full Dorset provenance – born, reared,
slaughtered and processed
 Calves reared on contracted strategic partner farm in Dorset – Fossil
Farm at Winfrith Newburgh, near Dorchester
 Friesian/Holstein cross entirely from Marks & Spencer dairy pool.
Calves are born on three farms – Cobbs, Turners and Lower Castle
farms, all sited in Dorset
 Slaughtered through strategic partners, either ABP at Sturminster
Newton, Dorset, or Laverstoke Park Farm at Overton, Hampshire
 Carcases cut and processed at DB Foods, Poole, Dorset
 Out of balance availability
 Real pedigree of understanding of veal farming, production and
marketing by principal of DB Foods, David Bayer whom used to own
and run Quantock Veal
Dorset Veal Initiative
 Calves transported to Fossil Farm from dairy farms between 2 and 5
days old (agreement with BCMS and Trading Standards to undertake
this prior to passport issue)
 Calves reared in open outdoor covered pens with straw bedding
(changed daily) in two’s for the first 5 weeks
 Pens expanded after 5 weeks to accommodate 6 calves and then after
8 weeks expanded to accommodate 12 calves. Straw bedding regime
is maintained for this duration
 After 5 months, cattle moved to open straw bedded pens,
accommodating numbers between 30 and 40
 Calves fed 2 litres of milk twice per day for first week of rearing, and
subsequently 3 litres of milk twice per day from 2 weeks to 7 weeks
 Calves have access to calf starter pellets from commencement of
rearing up to 16 weeks
 Thereafter, fed on home grown crimped grain maize with protein
balancers comprising soya and rape. Feed is available on an ad lib
basis with no restrictions including straw
Dorset Veal Initiative
 Fresh water is changed daily
 Calves are weighed on farm with a target minimum weight of 40kg
being required
 Calves are blood tested for colostrums on arrival with a pass level of
5.2 being required. Calves are accepted at a mark level of 4.8 and will
be fed supplementary powdered colostrums, adding a cost to the calf
of between £15 and £20
 Calves are also vaccinated on arrival for pneumonia and ringworm
 Calves are not de-horned
 Cattle are spot-weighed during the course of their lives ensuring a
further check on well-being
 Cattle are reared to a finished live weight target of 250kg
 Cattle are slaughtered between 6.5 and 7 months