Crofting

scab, support the management of the condition, stop reinfection and empower farmers to adopt a prevention mindset by working together as a community.

Sheep scab not only impacts animal welfare; it has huge financial implications. It’s estimated that the cost of this disease to UK farmers is £80- £200 million per year (Nixon et al., 2020).

Sheep scab had been almost eliminated 30 years ago when compulsory dipping was a legal requirement but has re-emerged to what are now endemic levels.

While the highly contagious disease in sheep doesn’t pose a risk to humans, it can rip through a flock before any symptoms are displayed.

Richard Scofield, Sheep Dipping Expert, and Assessor with over 20 years of industry experience explains: ‘Sadly, scab has returned with a vengeance, but this time we have all the tools to combat it. If we work smartly and collaboratively, we can break the cycle. 'Responsible treatment and testing are our weapons, but if used incorrectly we’re just battling and not winning the war on scab. 'Dipping, where necessary, should be done sequentially from September to the end of November in relation to how high up the flock grazes, taking place before tupping. And of course, coordinating with neighbouring farms is vital. 'Being open and honest is so important. No, matter the bio-security - knowing thy neighbour has never been more important. Bolstering this with testing and when there is a breakout, rapid & targeted treatment, and testing in infected farms in the vicinity until scab has gone.’

Campaign materials are all available to download, including posters, social media posts, and a handy ‘how much dip should I use’, tool, which can be found here: www. breakthesheepscabcycle.co.uk along with dedicated podcast episodes on Lowe Maintenance’s Up Hill and Down Dale podcast linked to Breaking the Sheep Scab Cycle coming soon.

Top breeding boosts profit and productivity in commercial lambs

RamCompare’s year six results demonstrate how rams with key breeding traits can optimise flock profitability. In four case studies, flock profitability was enhanced by £1.98 to £5.17 per lamb; with some rams producing lambs that finished several weeks earlier than others.

The full results, which report the data collected and analysed from rams with the fastest growth rates, best conformation and most valuable progeny, will be presented in an industry webinar on 19 May, which is free to attend and open to all.

RamCompare uses nominated performance-recorded rams from many breeds on commercial farms across the UK. The project, which is fully supported by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) alongside 16 other partners, has recorded the performance of more than 30,000 lambs, sired by 313 rams over six breeding seasons. For the year six results, a team of 60 natural service rams were used, producing performance data from more than 5,000 lambs.

crofting

Geese – do the sums

By Patrick Krause, Chief Executive, Scottish Crofting Federation

A few weeks ago the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs, Islands and Natural Environment Committee took evidence on the petition that was lodged by SCF, “Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to address the problems created by increasing populations of wild geese …”

In 2013, when the petition was lodged, there were 8,000 greylag geese counted in the entire crofting counties. There are now 8,000 resident birds in Uist alone and the numbers in Lewis and Tiree are similar. These are the areas that the Minister for Environment and Land Reform, Mairi McAllan, referred to when saying, “I understand how serious the impacts can be for crofting communities, and for the unique machair habitat and biodiversity that their traditional form of agriculture supports.”

Following the reduction and eventual cessation of any funding to control numbers, the goose population has exploded, as expected. The minister has responded to SCF’s lobby by reinstating only £6,000 to each of the Hebridean schemes.

In Uist we need to aim for a population of no more than 3000, reducing from the current 8000. It costs £8 per bird to shoot them so this year we could see a reduction of 750 birds. The bird numbers increase through natural replacement at about 25% (2000) or more per year. So even with current shooting levels the flock is increasing at 1250 birds per year. Just to halt increasing numbers, we need to shoot 2000 birds minimum this year (£16,000) but we have to reduce them, so let’s say 3000 birds, £24,000. As we reduce the numbers the proportion will reduce so the cost will diminish year by year. Realistically we can get numbers back to acceptable in 3-5 years and to maintain them at 3000 will then cost £6000 per year. This applies to the other Hebridean islands too.

If we don’t get past that threshold and the goose numbers go up instead of down, the clearance of crofters to make way for geese will escalate. If this happens all the good associated with crofting, the high biodiversity of the machair and the preservation of heritage crops, will be sacrificed.

This joint levy-funded research project demonstrates how commercial producers can use specific estimated breeding values (EBVs) to identify rams with high genetic potential and prove their worth when assessing financial impact.

Bruce McConachie, Head of Industry Development at QMS, said: “The project is not only vital in driving the industry forward, but the results are invaluable to farmers seeking to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The data ensures that terminal sire ram buyers have confidence that selecting and using the best EBVs will have a positive benefit to their bottom lines.”

When looking at how ram selection might influence meat eating quality, the data highlights genetic differences in shear force, an indicator of meat tenderness. With thanks to Randall Parker and Dunbia, trial lambs were selected for primal measurements to determine front, middle and haunch carcase yield, and at the same time, loin samples from these carcases were retained. Over 4,000 lambs have been included from a range of Terminal sire breeds to identify rams whose progeny produce the most tender meat. This pioneering work which has been led by AHDB, will also identify how sheep breeding programmes can change to enhance traits that influence meat eating quality.

RamCompare Project Coordinator, Bridget Lloyd says: “The RamCompare results identify progeny groups which have excelled for carcase conformation and value as a direct result of the genetic merit of their sire.

“We have also identified sires with enhanced genes for speed of growth whose lambs were finishing a week or two ahead of other progeny groups on the same farm. These are large differences in performance and clearly show why producers wishing to enhancing flock profitability, must select those rams with the best genetics for their production system and end market.”

NSA supports EFRA recommendation on post Brexit trade deals

The National Sheep Association (NSA) is adding its support to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee’s (EFRA) recommendation to Government to formally commit to upholding animal welfare and environmental standards in all post Brexit trade deals.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: "As NSA highlighted in an evidence session on the Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) earlier this month the terms of the FTA have damaging consequences and present risks for the UK sheep industry due to the proposed volumes of meat (not defined between carcase weights, meat cuts and whether frozen or not) and the clear non-equivalence of animal welfare and environmental standards of Australian lamb, compared to the extremely high standards demanded of UK producers. UK sheep farmers are already producing to these high standards, and we are also experiencing a rapid raising of environmental and welfare related standards, all of which bring an element of cost.”

The report outlines Government estimates that the FTA, which removes tariffs on a wide range of imports from Australia, including sheep meat, will boost the UK economy by £2.3bn (or 0.08%) by 2035, but that some sectors including farming will lose out. The report from EFRA calls on the Government to aid the UK farming and food sector in making up £278m estimated loss the sector will experience as a result of the FTA by allocating additional support for exports.

Mr Stocker adds: “It is encouraging the committee has taken on board the evidence supplied by witnesses but there is little commitment from Government there will be any provision to create a level playing field for UK producers. It is equally disappointing the deal did not include more far-reaching provisions on animal welfare, an area that UK producers lead on. As seen with the more recent New Zealand FTA it is difficult to see whether the Government is taking industry concerns seriously and whether perhaps, we risk exporting our emissions and losing our high welfare standards overseas.”

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

Next issue out September 2022 Subscription page 125