Cattle

Following the conclusive formal adoption of these criteria, the supplementary decisions and interpretations below have been drafted in conjunction with the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals. These decisions/interpretations have not yet been formally adopted and, in the event of exceptional circumstances, are subject to change before being included in the established BLL criteria. In anticipation thereof, certification will be carried out on the basis of these supplementary decisions and interpretations.

• Supplementary decisions and interpretations BLL cattle

Under the Better Life label for cattle, castration and disbudding is only permitted on the directions of the veterinarian and only when the animal is sedated and an analgesic is administered after the procedure.

An example of a declaration, which can be completed by the farm’s own vet, is shown below.

• Example castration declaration
• Example disbudding declaration

The Better Life label criteria for livestock farms include the provision that feed must demonstrably originate from a GMP+ certified feed supplier or a supplier with an equivalent quality assurance system. The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals accepts various quality assurance systems as an alternative to GMP+ certified animal feed.

The ‘Equivalent systems’ page lists quality assurance systems accepted by the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals as an alternative to GMP+ certification within the Better Life label scheme.

The criteria for BLL cattle stipulate an Emergency Plan. An example of an emergency plan, which you can use, is shown below.

• Example Emergency Plan

The criteria for BLk Cattle call for a one-to-one agreement between the cattle farmer and a specialized certified bonded cattle veterinarian. Foreign participants who cannot use a veterinarian from the Guaranteed Cattle Veterinarian Scheme should enter into the agreement below with a permanent specialized cattle veterinarian.

One-on-one agreement

Latest news T03 (24-05-2022):

On 27 May 2021 we informed you about removing criterion T03, Temporary reception of meat animals (beef cattle), from the BLL beef cattle criteria list, with due observance of a one-year transition period. This means that the removal of this criterion would be implemented as of May 27, 2022 and that transport of cattle (young stock) after May 27, 2022 should only take place directly from birth address to fattening address. Several chain managers have approached us about ways and means how to monitor and secure animal transportations between birth address and reception location. Ultimately, this led to one chain specifically stating that it could show proof of such. As a result, the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals and the BLLF have decided to assess this on-site, in France. This is planned in the 2nd half of June (2022).

Removal of T03 has a major impact. Not only with regard to delivery, but also with regard to determining the BLL worthiness of a company. Delivering non-BLL animals to a BLL farm leads to exclusion (criterion UIT09). That is why the Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals and the BLLF have decided to postpone the abolition of T03, based on the assumption that the assessment in June will determine a final decision.

Original message (27-05-2021):

Cattle that are transported longer than a distance of 850 kilometers from the birth address to the fattening address must, according to the Better life label, stay at a reception location for at least 21 days. After this stay they may be transported further. In most cases, this requirement relates to animals coming from France. However, it has become apparent that French legislation and animal registration does not allow for sufficient transport from the holding of birth to the holding of reception. In practice, this means that there is insufficient visibility as to where the animals stay for the duration of 3 days. As a result, the Better life label has decided to delete the possibility of the reception location (criterion T03: Temporary reception of meat animals) from the criteria Bovine animals. Because transport from the birth address to the fattening address is sufficiently guaranteed, this criterion (T02) will be retained. In this way the Better life label is working to continuously improve the quality of the label.

This measure will enter into force 12 months after the supplementary decision takes effect (i.e. on 27-05-2022). This means that the transport of cattle after 27-05-2022 may only take place directly from birth address to fattening address.