SCOTLAND’S top vet has insisted calves being shipped to Spain enjoy the “highest standards of welfare” and called a BBC documentary on the issue “alarmist”.

Sheila Voas, the chief veterinary officer, said she wanted to reassure the public about the trips, and had personally seen animals arrive in Catalonia “bright and alert”.

Ms Voas used a newspaper article to defend the transports after ferry operator P&O called an immediate halt to them following a BBC Scotland TV programme about them.

The Scottish Government and NFU Scotland both opposed P&O’s decision.

With no market for them in Scotland, around 5000 male dairy calves are shipped each year to Europe, where they are fattened and slaughtered as year-old “young beef”.

Campaigners claim the 100-hour journey to Spain is harmful to the animals.

But Ms Voas said recent Scottish Government research suggested the calves were properly cared for, and were being fed, rested or unloaded for more than half the 100-hour trip.

She said much of the coverage of the issue “could be politely referred to as alarmist”.

She wrote: “As Scotland's chief veterinary officer I want to reassure the public that Scotland has a responsible dairy industry that cares about the welfare of these animals and is subject to the highest standards of welfare as regulated by European law.

“There are a small numbers of calves being transported to Spain for fattening and production. These are male dairy calves which otherwise would have no productive purpose in Scotland. Some reports have distorted the reality of these journeys.”

She added: “I accept and respect that some people fundamentally oppose the rearing of calves or indeed any animal for the purpose of providing people with meat to eat.

“However, for the majority of Scots who enjoy milk and meat but want this to be produced as humanely as possible, I hope I have reassured people that we are committed to ensuring that livestock being transported are supported by high welfare standards.”

Nicola Sturgeon gave Ms Voas her backing at First Minister’s Questions.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell, who successfully pushed P&O to ban the calf transport, asked if Ms Voas’s article represented government policy.

She said the issue was “extremely emotive” and “more complex” than some coverage.

She said: “I thought the chief vet set out quite clearly some of the facts behind the claim of 100-hour journeys.

“Right now, farmers do not have a market for male dairy calves here in Scotland.

“If they are not exported for production, they are slaughtered at birth. A small number are exported, but farmers here want to find alternative markets domestically. Animal welfare is paramount. Transport within the European Union is subject to strict regulation, and there is no hard evidence that those regulations are being breached. As the member is aware, the Scottish Government is carrying out a year-long monitoring project, which will look in more detail at the issue. We will continue to be very rigorous as we observe the situation, and continue to take whatever action we consider to be necessary.”

Mr Ruskell said: “It’s quite clear the Scottish Government have been supporting live exports of dairy calves for years, so I’m not surprised Nicola Sturgeon won’t welcome the P&O ban.

“There is an ethical alternative to ‘shipping or shooting’ dairy calves - farmers need support for more ethical rose beef production.”