UPDATED 6.34pm: SAFE - Save Animals from Exploitation - has launched an overseas ad campaign accusing the New Zealand dairy industry of being contaminated with cruelty.

The group has paid around $10,000 for an advertisement in Saturday's edition of the UK newspaper The Guardian.

SAFE's Executive director Hans Kriek said the group launched the campaign because it had learned from the past that the Government and farming industry were slow to act when animal cruelty was exposed.

He said SAFE might be seen as disloyal but added: "we obviously don't have the ability to destroy the New Zealand dairy industry."

SAFE's Executive director Hans Kriek said at this stage they won't be placing anymore advertising.

Mr Kriek said they'll be looking to work alongside the government and industry groups involved, once the dust has settled and they've come up with a plan to tackle the cruelty.

Federated Farmers Dairy Industry chair Andrew Hoggard said SAFE have used footage of calf cruelty to convey their own message.

Andrew Hoggard said it's unfair to use the same brush to tar all dairy farmers, when the majority look after their animals.