ABOUT 20 animal rights activists entered the Highchester abattoir at Gleneagle near Beaudesert yesterday, chaining themselves to a pig pen in a protest about alleged animal cruelty.
A further 40 protestors held placards outside the Mount Lindesay Highway business.
Police said protests began about 4am and protestors were told to move on, with no arrests made.
In a statement, the activists described the abattoir as a calf slaughterhouse.
They said the action was in response to undercover footage released last week showing a calf being kicked by a worker before being killed.
Animal Liberation president Chay Neal said the action was to draw attention to dairy industry animal exploitation.
“Footage shows a calf that we have named Sammy being brutally stomped and kicked as he struggles in his final moments,” he said.
“Activists here today are demanding that the worker caught on film brutally stomping and kicking this calf be fired.
“More importantly, we want consumers to realise they have the power to stop other animals like Sammy suffering this fate by making kinder choices and not supporting the dairy industry.”
Highchester Quality Meats co-owner Brian Surawski said Animal Liberation would not co-operate with him regarding details of its allegations.
“They wouldn’t give us the date or time the video was taken to allow us to investigate it,” he said. “They merely showed us a poor quality image.”
Mr Surawski said the abattoir followed strict operational guidelines and staff underwent regular training.
“We have supported the dairy industry for 40 years and look after our local producers and farmers,” he said.
Mr Surawski said Highchester practices were no different to any other abattoir killing bobby calves.
He said the video footage was taken out of context.
“(The staff member) doesn’t punch or kick it. He is restraining it,” he said.
A Queensland Dairyfarmers’ Organisation spokesman declined to comment, saying the matter related to abattoirs rather than farms.
Mr Neal said dairy calves were separated from mothers at birth, confined in cages, had electric prods used on them at saleyards and were then strung up to have their throats slit. “Footage we have obtained shows these (are) standard practices.”