Dairy calf - right calf Right Route

Promote a fair, reputable, and transparent calf supply chain that enables productive, profitable, and sustainable farm businesses.

Introduction

Having a functioning and fair route to market that supports calf and subsequent cattle supply chains is essential for overall animal welfare, sustainability, and profitability of farming systems.

Increasing demands and pressures are being placed on producers, from sustainability to disease to consolidating market outlets. This pillar places a particular emphasis on bovine TB, data utilisation for increased efficiencies, and promotion of British beef and dairy.

Impact of bovine TB

This disease places an unprecedented emotional and financial toll on farmers. For those within the calf supply chain, a bTB breakdown is devastating and options to market seem minimal. It is therefore one of the biggest barriers to a functioning and resourceful calf supply chain. In response, the amazing work of the GB Calf Strategy bTB subgroup will continue in pursuit of the goals below

Sustainability of the sector

Sustainability is also a growing focus within the ruminant farming sector. By gaining access to data and utilising it effectively, welfare and productivity improvements can be made on farm.

This not only has bottom line and health benefits for farming businesses and animals but reduces the sector’s emissions too.

Any efforts made in this sphere must align with the industry roadmaps which already showcase the power of collaboration: The Dairy Roadmap and The Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap.

Strategy overview

In a world of changing markets and volatile trade, we know how good the dairy and beef products we produce here in the UK are.

The strategy will promote and support the sectors to ensure confidence can be put back in to the supply chain. We have an opportunity to reduce reliance on imports (see: Beef trade | AHDB ) and improve our self-sufficiency in high quality British beef.

This will ultimately encourage investment into businesses and supply chains and reward the high standards of welfare we maintain.

Goal 1 Bio-secure routes to market are accessible to all herds affected by bTB, including herds under movement restrictions.

Action

Develop a risk assessed proportional approach to improve the viability of TB Isolation Units (TBIU) and increase access to farmers with variable production systems, for example by:

  • Licencing dual or multiple source premises

Even with an extended filling window, procuring enough cattle to fill the TBIU and make it economically viable from a single source within the 60-day period is a challenge.

In practise it is only possible if sourcing from larger block calving herds. Many smaller producers cannot currently access TBIUs, and those without adequate rearing facilities must manage higher stock levels whilst under TB restrictions, increasing economic and welfare strains.

Allowing TBIUs to source from multiple holdings would help ensure greater access for smaller producers and farms with different calving patterns. 

  • Delinking TBIU based on TB risk.

Industry would like to see bTB policy allow APHA to apply a risk based proportional approach when applying bTB restrictions to TB Isolation units and source farms.

Expand opportunities offered by all types of Approved Finishing Units and explore alternative TB Licenced Unit models that deliver appropriate options for all breeds of bTB restricted calves, considering:

  • Calves that require periods of grazing to fulfil their genetic potential
  • The continuity of supply to consumers who value grass fed systems
  • A calf age risk/benefit analysis of historic and existing AFUs (Approved Finishing Units) with grazing
  • An updated wildlife TB risk assessment in localities.

The GB Calf strategy sub-group believe the use of grazing within TB licensed units should be allowed, by using evidence and taking into account the benefits of grazing balanced against the risks.

To maximise their potential, small stature and heifer dairy-beef calves, as well as native breeds, benefit from periods of grazing to meet carcase specifications.

Currently, calves in AFU’s are not allowed to graze, and cannot enter a dedicated grass-fed supply chain, missing an environmental and financial opportunity.

Previously APHA has assessed the number of slaughterhouse cases identified from AFUs but did not take into account age of entry. Reassessing this data may show that calves entering an AFU are less risky than older cattle.

Widespread reduction in badger density and the move to post culling badger vaccination has led to a reduction in risk from wildlife and could be considered as part of local risk assessment.

Action

  • Develop transparent and integrated statutory traceability systems which record health and productivity Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), allowing farmers to benchmark and make informed production decisions.

All cattle in the UK are individually traced through ear tags and are on the government system: British Cattle Movement Service.

Statutory traceability systems across GB are a crucial mechanism to facilitate better cattle traceability and the sharing of data that provides extra value to producers, the supply chain and government.

Suggested KPIs include parentage, vaccination records, and carcass classifications (grade and weight). 

  • Align with The Dairy Roadmap and The Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap to improve the health, productivity, and therefore sustainability and marketability of calves

Tackling climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, especially for farming which is often at the forefront of extreme and changing weather events. It is well known that improved welfare and productivity of cattle reduces their emissions.

The roadmaps aim to capture the ambition, goals and commitments made towards improving the environmental sustainability of the English and Welsh beef (and lamb) and dairy sectors.

The Dairy Roadmap
The Beef and Lamb Environmental Roadmap

Action

  • Support the local abattoir network to ensure minimal travel time for animals and availability of marketing opportunities for producers to add value.

Between 2014 and 2024, there was a 31% drop in the number of approved cattle slaughterhouses in England.

The future of the small to medium-sized abattoir sector is a real concern. These businesses offer competition to larger operators and provide additional services, such as private kills, and support to independent retailers and hospitality, as well as marketing opportunities and lower travel times for animal welfare.

  • Promote British beef and dairy to the domestic and international markets while ensuring future trade agreements do not undermine British standards of welfare.

Ever-increasing standards are asked of our farmers and growers, adding additional costs and burdens while governments allow imported products to be sold that fail to meet equivalent production standards.

This creates an uneven playing field and devalues British beef production. By collaborating with industry stakeholders, our farmers can be supported to continue producing high quality beef and dairy.     

  • Encourage farm assurance schemes to take on board all the recommendations from the Farm Assurance Review (published January 2025) to deliver beef, lamb and dairy schemes that have a smarter audit, add value and reward for involvement, and secure market access.

Assurance schemes support access to a range of markets and underpin standards in a range of beef and dairy systems.

The costs and work associated with assurance schemes must be shared across the supply chain. They must deliver market access that differentiates British products within the marketplace and rewards the standards expected of assurance schemes.

Right route green text

Conclusion

A fair calf supply chain is crucial for producers and processors to have confidence in their businesses. Greater sharing of data and increased access to markets will allow all calves with to be reared with care and purpose. Cross industry collaboration is key to making this strategy a success.

Much of the ‘right route’ work interlinks with the Right Calf and Right Start pillars.

Explore the full GB Calf Strategy 2025–2030 and see how you can get involved.

The Right Route pillar is led by: NFU 
NFU