Figures on slaughter and euthanasia of calves and cows

​​​Request ​800566424

1

How many male calves born into the dairy industry were euthanised at birth in 2025? 

2

How many pregnant cows were slaughtered in 2025? 

3

What is the average age dairy cows are slaughtered? 

4

What is the average age beef cows are slaughtered? 

5

How much land is used just to grow crops to feed the dairy herd? 

6

Do all the dairies euthanise male calves? 

7

Do any dairies (no names necessary) allow dairy cows to live out their natural lives? 

8

How much land was sprayed with glyphosate during 2025

Response

1 

The Scheduled Public Authority (SPA) does not record the gender, breed and age of the calves when they are euthanised, therefore this information is not held and Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. 

2

There were 8 instances of pregnancy detected postmortem of cows processed through the abattoir in 2025.

3

The average age recorded in 2025 for Jersey dairy cattle slaughtered is 5.8 years, which includes cows and steers.

4

The average age recorded in 2025 for beef cattle slaughtered is 2.5 years, which includes cows and steers.

5

The Scheduled Public Authority (SPA) does not hold the requested information, therefore, Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. 

6

See response to question 1 regarding the recording of the calves gender. The Scheduled Public Authority (SPA) does not hold the requested information, therefore, Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies.

7

The Scheduled Public Authority (SPA) does not record the requested information regarding dairy cows, therefore, this information is not held and Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies. 

8

The Scheduled Public Authority (SPA) does not record the amount of land sprayed with glyphosate, therefore, the requested information is not held and Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies.

Articles applied

Article 3 - Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a) it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b) it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.