High welfare standards vital on long trip to abattoir
With farming representing the only re ale conomic activity in many of Scotland’ s more remote regions, livestock produced on these units often travel considerable distances to market or for further finishing.
And while the industry has stressed the imp ortance of high welfare during these and other journey’ s, farming leader shave stated that any changes to transport regulations – including those on the export of live animals – should be based on sound evidence rather than emotive rhetoric.
“Herein Scotland, a nima lt ran sport is vital to our livestock industry and is carried out to the highest welfare standards ,” saidNFU Scotland president, Andrew Mccornick yesterday.
With considerable numbers of animals being ferried from the islands to the mainland he said the issue was an extreme lye motive subject and one which generated a considerable amount of mis-information and negativity:
“Any ill- considered deci- si onto ban live exports to the continent by ferry also has the potential to be the thin end of the wedge. Scotland’s island livestock production prides its self on high welfare and any implication that journeys by ferry are‘ bad welfare’ could be damaging to their reputation.”
Mc Cornick said that the imposition of new rules and standards, paired with the possibility of goods produced to lower welfare standards being imported post Brexit , could, he claimed, damage the resilience of the Scottish industry and less en rather than improve controls on pro - duction standards.
“Live exports play a role in modern production systems providing an alternative market, especially when seasonal production levels are high, serving to support the home market prices.”
He said these movements were important to industry– but should be well managed and regulated to minimise the risk of welfare problems.
Given the uncertainty over future trading conditi ons, said Mccornick, opportunities for the UK’S livestock industry should not be limited through domestic regulation.