NFU Scotland believes the decision by Animal Health firms to abandon the manufacture of cypermethrin sheep dip products in the future may undermine the delivery of a new sheep scab control initiative due to get underway in Scotland. It will also increase sheep producers’ reliance on other products to control parasites such as mites, flies and ticks.
Following concerns over water pollution in parts of England and Wales, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) halted the routine use of cypermethrin as a dip in 2006. At that time, the VMD temporarily suspended the Marketing Authorisations of three cypermethrin sheep dip products to allow time to consider whether measures could be put in place to permit their safe use. In response, work in Scotland involving NFU Scotland and SEPA was conducted which the Union believes justified the use of cypermethrin dips being reinstated. Unfortunately, the VMD has failed to accept the results of the Scottish trials.
With the VMD unprepared to consider re-authorising such dips, the manufacturers of the cypermethrin products have now said they no longer want to produce them. This makes their availability to sheep farmers extremely unlikely at any point in the future and increases producers’ reliance on a limited number of products such as organophosphate dips and injectable treatments.
NFU Scotland’s Vice-President Nigel Miller, a sheep farmer and qualified vet said:
"This is a major blow which ignores the positive results of trial work carried out by SEPA in collaboration with NFU Scotland which demonstrated that by adopting best practice when dipping sheep with cypermethrin can provide the necessary environmental protection.
"We believe there were clear options to allow the use of cypermethrin dips with the safeguards of added controls on their use and training. The evidence was presented to the VMD but, to the Scottish sheep industry’s detriment, it has been subsequently ignored. Despite the opportunity for the VMD to react positively to our suggestions on cypermethrin dips, its intransigence left the manufacturers with little option but to withdraw from their production in the future.
"This means that the treatments available to sheep farmers for controlling parasites such as sheep scab mite, ticks and flies are now restricted to organophosphate dips, pour-ons or injectables. For both organophosphates and some pour-ons, concerns have been expressed over implications for human health. For injectables, which also treat internal worms, there is a danger of escalating the rate at which resistance to such wormers develops.
"The Scottish Government, in partnership with industry stakeholders, is to launch a sheep scab control policy underpinned by a new statutory order, to tackle the continued threat of this disease to the health and welfare of Scottish sheep. I believe that the impact of that initiative is undermined by the VMD’s uncompromising position on cypermethrin dips."
Notes to Editors
Following the suspension of cypermethrin dips in 2006; NFU Scotland set up trials with SEPA to monitor the use of cypermethrin dips and any potential impact on the environment. Using a small number of sheep farms and a range of dipping options (permanent dipper, mobile dipper, and sheep shower), the trial monitored watercourses for cypermethrin levels before, during and after dipping. The results of the trial were presented to the VMD. NFU Scotland believes that the trial results supported the re-approval of cypermethrin dips supported by a code of practice for proper use.
NFU Scotland’s sheep ecto-parasite survey looking at the safe use of pour-on treatments can be found at the following link:
http://www.nfus.org.uk/uploadedFiles/Campaigns/Sheep%20Pour-on%20Survey.pdf
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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006