Arla Foods Faces Scrutiny Over Alleged Dairy Cow Abuse

A year-long undercover investigation has uncovered allegations of severe animal welfare abuses on farms supplying Arla Foods, the UK's largest dairy company. The hidden camera footage, obtained by The Mail on Sunday, reportedly shows workers kicking cows, dragging them with farm vehicles, and separating newborn calves from their mothers within minutes of birth.

Independent experts who reviewed the evidence identified 360 potential breaches of animal welfare law across 15 Arla farms, some of which supply major retailers including Tesco and Morrisons, as well as Starbucks. The investigators noted that the same problems appeared at multiple farms, suggesting systemic failures.

Footage reportedly depicts workers urinating in cow pens, forcing cows into milking parlors with metal shackles, and a difficult attempt to remove a metal screw from a cow's eyelid with bolt cutters. In one instance, a worker was heard expressing hatred for cows while kicking one and twisting its tail.

Other alleged incidents include young children kicking and punching lame cows, animals being hit with gates and equipment, a dead calf left in a wheelbarrow for three nights, and a malnourished cow left without water for 31 hours. One particularly distressing scene shows a weak cow being hoisted by its hips and dragged across concrete, with workers kicking and pulling its nostrils until its legs were injured.

Arla Foods, a multinational cooperative owned by around 11,200 farmers, has stated that animal welfare is of the utmost importance and has launched an urgent investigation into the allegations. "We take all reports and concerns seriously," an Arla spokesman said.

Retailers and businesses that source milk from Arla have responded with concern. A spokesperson for Morrisons stated they "take animal welfare extremely seriously" and will take action based on the investigation's findings. Starbucks echoed these sentiments, calling the footage "deeply concerning" and falling "far short of the high standards of animal welfare we expect."

The investigation's findings contrast with Arla's own 'Arlagarden' program, which reportedly includes over 100 rules designed to protect animal welfare and milk quality, aiming to go beyond legal requirements. Some of the most serious alleged breaches were documented on farms owned by Arla director George Holmes, who has previously stated his businesses aim for "the highest welfare standards."

Animal welfare organizations have criticized the dairy industry's practices. Claire Palmer, executive director at the Animal Justice Project, which installed hidden cameras for the probe, stated, "This is not about one farm or one worker losing their temper... When the same problems appear across farm after farm, we have to question the system itself."

Veterinary experts have expressed concern over the systematic nature of the alleged failures. Andrew Knight, a veterinary professor of animal welfare, noted that similar failures appearing on multiple farms within Arla's assurance schemes suggest the system may be failing the animals it claims to protect. He cautioned that legal compliance and assurance labels should not be considered guarantees of good welfare, citing the separation of calves from mothers within hours of birth as an example of an act permitted by current rules but still detrimental to welfare.

Jenny Mace, an independent animal welfare expert, described the evidence as pointing to widespread and recurring issues across UK dairy farms, suggesting a deep enforcement problem within the system. She also noted that self-assessment practices, such as Arla's scheme giving flagged farms 48 hours' notice before a spot check, may be insufficient.