Published 11/01/2008

As BBC Three's controversial 'Kill It, Cook It, Eat It' returned to our screens, Compassion in World Farming archive footage of calf rearing conditions shocked the audience into agreeing that British rose veal was the only ethical veal available.

Compassion in World Farming's Head of Campaigns, Gill Sanders discussed the rearing conditions and transportation of veal calves, many of whom are sent on long stressful journeys when they are just two weeks old.

Footage showed the old veal crates now banned across the EU but also revealed that current group housing standards for rearing calves on the continent provide poorer welfare than those in the UK.

Calves reared on the continent are kept on slippery slatted floors, without bedding and have less roughage in their diet than under UK legislation.

The audience, which included UK dairy farmers who rear their male calves for veal on what appeared to be a high welfare farm, discussed the waste in the dairy industry where many male calves, if not exported, are shot at birth.

Compassion in World Farming is working with the UK beef and dairy industry, retailers, government and academics to find alternatives for the male dairy calf and wants to see an end to calves being either shot at birth or exported on long journeys to poorer conditions on the Continent.

Compassion in World Farming is campaigning to end the long distance transport of farm animals.

Your donation can help pay for further investigations into cruel long distance transportation.