David's Digest

So the saintly Delia Smith is recommending consumers stock up with New Zealand lamb for summer barbecues. And she includes in her "ad" for it the implication that New Zealand sheep enjoy the best welfare on the planet - so its OK to buy stuff that's come half way round the world.

Maybe she hasn't heard how they manage their flocks over there. Its all based on the Easycare principle and effectively that means no care. If a sheep is ill, flock owners don't call the vet because its too expensive and the reasoning is that the animal must have a weakness or it wouldn't be ill in the first place. So it either gets better on its own or dies. And if it dies it is left where it falls for the foxes to clear up. Which would, of course, be illegal and unacceptable in this country and land flock owners in court for neglect.

Commercially Easycare is a cheap production system and more and more European farmers are adopting some parts of it so as to allow the Darwinian principle of survival of the fittest to rule. But to pretend for marketing reasons in this country that Easycare in its purest and complete form is high welfare and kindest to animals is, to say the least disingenuous. 

So, Delia, Commander of the British Empire, do a bit more research before you hit your sheep farming Norwich City supporters and others in this country in the teeth. I think you will find their lambs have a better life than those you have been persuaded to promote.