| News
APPEAL
‘Common sense prevails’
NFU delivers win on sheep splitting regulations.
armers will be able
to more accurately
age sheep after a
vote by the
Standing
Committee on
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed
(SCoPAFF) that allows Member
States greater clarity on sheep
going into the food chain – a clear
result of NFU efforts spanning over
many years.
The vote result – which was
revealed yesterday afternoon (1
Feb) – will pave the way for the UK
Government to allow farmers,
market operators and abattoir
owners to use a cut-off date rather
than have the additional burden of
checking the teeth of sheep to
determine whether it is over 12
months old. This, in turn, indicates
whether the carcass needs to be
split to remove the spinal cord,
which is required by the regulation.
Evidence provided by the NFU,
and subsequent work calling for a
simplification of the system for the
livestock industry, demonstrates
how the use of a set date provides
an accurate and streamlined
approach in aging procedures for
the entire supply chain.
A FSA report on this topic
F
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk
released in 2010 stated: “Aging by
dentition check is an imprecise
process as the first incisor can erupt
at any point between 9 and 15
months of age.”
More information on sheep
splitting is in the Notes to Editors.
NFU national livestock board
chairman Charles Sercombe said:
“We are thrilled to see the UK
Government supporting the
Commission on this issue. The NFU
has been persistent in highlighting
the importance of clearer and
simpler way of aging lambs.
“Livestock farmers know well that
checking teeth has never been the
most efficient or accurate way of
determining the animals age. This
flexibility is long overdue so I’m
extremely pleased that we finally
have a common-sense approach.
“Part of the evidence we supplied
showed that sheep splitting
unnecessarily can devalue a carcass
by as much as 40%.
“We look forward to working with
Defra, the FSA and the supply chain
to ensure we implement these
changes as quickly as possible.
There is no reason why we can’t see
the cut-off date of 31 May being
applied from 2018.”
ats Protection’s
Derby and
District Branch is
offering the purr-
fect solution to
individuals and
businesses in need of an
environmentally-friendly pest
control service. We currently have
several healthy feral cats on our
books, just ready to pounce on
the right vacancy!
Most feral cats prefer the
freedom of a working life to a
comfortable lap in suburbia. We
have had some very positive
feedback in terms of reduced
rodent problems from the many
farms, stables and warehouses
that have adopted a feral or two
from us in the past.
Derby Branch has been active
in responsible feral cat
management programmes for
many years, developing
considerable expertise in this
area. Whilst feral kittens aged up
to 8 weeks can be successfully
‘socialised’ and rehomed in a
normal home environment, this is
not usually possible with adult
ferals. Once they have been
neutered, volunteers return them
to their colony where a
sustainable one exists, or, find
them a new home in a suitable
environment where they can
thrive and work hard doing what
they like best!
These mousers can provide a
C
very efficient and environmentally-
friendly alternative to chemical
pest control. Garden centres, golf
clubs, smallholdings, farms,
stables, shops; in fact, anywhere
where there is room to roam and
rodents to catch, will be these
cats’ idea of heaven and will
provide working cats with a
suitable environment in which to
live and work.
In the first instance, the new
owner would need to supply them
with a safe, secure
outhouse/shed/stable where they
can be contained for about two to
three weeks, with regular meals, a
comfortable, warm bed and a
litter tray. After this two week
period indoors to get used to their
new surroundings, they can then
be released, returning to the
outhouse/shed only for their food
and shelter. They would then
repay their new owner as fit and
healthy vermin controllers.
Branch volunteers would take
on the job of settling them into
their new home, providing
bedding and a litter tray -
although ultimately the new
owner would be responsible for
the cost of their food and welfare.
If you can provide a home for
one or more of these cats, please
contact Jane Baynton via the
Branch’s Catline on 01332
206956 or email her at
[email protected]
February 2018 | Farming Monthly | 07