Defra are seeking views on reforming the legislation on lamb castration and tail docking, the proposals seek to ensure that, where castration and tail docking is carried out, pain caused to the animals by these procedures is appropriately minimised. They also seek to align the devolved nations and ensure that a consistent approach is adopted across the UK.
Whilst we welcome the recognition that it may not be possible to avoid castration or tail docking in some situations, we do have concerns around the lack of practical and fully effective alternatives. There are some promising options on the market, namely Clip Fitter and Numbnuts, but neither are completely without issue, and both are currently significantly more expensive than existing options like rubber rings.
We recognise that industry should be moving towards more humane methods of castration and tail docking, that minimise the pain involved. However, a long lead in time is necessary, with government support for extensive testing and development, to ensure that alternative permitted methods do indeed deliver better welfare and are pragmatic, feasible options.
Proposed Permitted Methods
The consultation proposes a ban on castrating or docking lambs within the first 24 hours of life, but the proposed permitted methods can all be used on lambs up to 3-month-old.
The proposals require anyone carrying out tail docking and castration to undergo training, there are no details on what training might look like but the consultation does ask for respondents’ thoughts on this. As currently required, individuals carrying out castration and docking must be over 18.
Responding to the consultation
Although we are seeking input from members to enable us to put in a thorough response to the consultation on your behalf, you are also urged to respond to the consultation as individuals. The
government consultation can be found
here.
It is vital that you take the time to put in your own response - there will be a high number of submissions from those opposed to all forms of castration and tail docking, so it’s essential that the practical farming perspective is well represented. The consultation also includes questions specific to your own experiences, which we cannot meaningfully aggregate in our NFUS response.
In addition, NFU Scotland is running its own short survey to gather members’ views, which will help shape our submission. You can access the NFUS survey via the link in your member newsletter or by logging into the secure members’ area of our website
here.