June 22, 2007

Danish piglet shipments cancelled over exporters' sanctions

The Ministry of Consumer and Family Affairs in Denmark has cancelled all piglet exports after two export companies were found to have violated pig transportation regulations.

Minister Carina Christensen said the cancellation were due to an open violation committed by two transporting companies Niels Vinderslev and Henrik Westergaard which was broadcasted through a television report.

The transporters had loaded slaughter sows from Denmark in different carriages to Northern Germany which has exceeded eight hours, the maximum time allotted for transportation.

This Danish mandate has been the object of many protests as this has not been on accordance with EU legislation.

Together, both transport organisations transported 4.6 million animals last year, mostly piglets for the German market.