British supermarket Sainsbury’s is supporting its British farmers with an offer to purchase calf coats at cost price in order to keep young herds warm and healthy throughout the harsh weather.
The retailer made the coats available to its 290 Dairy Development Group (SDDG) farmers across the UK, and the farmers have ordered over 850 coats so far.
Sainsbury’s decided to run the offer again this year after it proved popular with farmers previously. By utilising the networks that already exist in the retailer’s supply chain, the supermarket is able to offer high-quality calf coats priced at only £14 each - the cost price, according to the retailer.
The supermarket’s agriculture and general merchandising teams teamed up to source the bespoke coats, which are designed with an adjustable strap so that they can expand as the calf grows. The coats are also machine washable so they can be re-used year after year.
Speaking on the initiative, Joanna Lawrence, agriculture manager at Sainsbury’s, said, “We’ve built up a strong Farmer Development Group with our dairy farmers over the years which means we can respond quickly to support our farmers. Winter is an obvious time when our farmers have to work hard to look after their cattle so we hope this goes some way to protect their herds throughout the cold months.”
As well as being important for calf health and welfare, calf coats also contribute to the efficiency of the SDDG farms. Insulation of the calves improves weight gain and ensures that the calf can use all its energy for growing, which in turn ensures that it will be less vulnerable during the winter.
Alex Jack, SDDG farmer in Fife, Scotland said, “It’s a huge support from Sainsbury’s to give us this opportunity, which will go a long way to keep my young herd warm and healthy this year.”
The SDDG was set up in 2007 to help support the long-term future of the British dairy industry and to reward the farmers for outstanding animal welfare and environmental standards.
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