United Kingdom-Problems dipping sheep.
UNITED KINGDOM-DIPPING SHEEP.
THE Scottish sheep sector could save £133,000 per year with the introduction of reduced charges for disposing of their sheep dip.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is carrying out a consultation on proposed amendments to the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Fees and Charges (Scotland) Scheme.
In previous years, farmers paid their annual charges in two instalments. Last October, SEPA announced that it would be waiving the second instalment
The waiving of the fees was a consequence of a rationalisation of on-farm inspections, brought about by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Environment and Rural Services (SEARS) project designed to reduce the bureaucratic burden on farmers and other working in rural areas. A key objective of the project is to deliver a much more joined-up approach to farm inspections.
It is proposed that disposal to land subsistence charges are reduced to £115 for 2009-10 and invoiced annually from April 2009. Groundwater sub- sistence charges would nor- mally have increased to £192.80, so the proposed 40% reduction should save the sheep sector £133,000 a year.
NFU Scotland vice-president Allan Bowie said: "Whilst this potential cost saving may seem modest, it can be viewed as the start of what must be an ambitious programme of rationalisation of both regula- tion and inspections. NFUS believes that this move repre- sents a step in the right direction but must signal a move towards a significant reduction in unnecessary bureaucracy. This is a positive example of SEARS working for the benefit of all parties. Scottish Government’s agricultural inspectors have been trained to look at sheep dip disposal approvals during their normal activity on farms, therefore avoiding the need for a separate inspection from SEPA staff and stripping costs out of the system."
New recommendations to control gut worms
RECOMMENDATIONS from an EU-funded research programme will help livestock keepers develop sustainable strategies for controlling parasitic gut worms in ruminants and save them money.
One of the key recommendations is to monitor flocks to decide whether anthelmintic treatment is necessary and to target treatments for the correct parasite. Another recommendation is to regularly check the efficacy of anthelmintics using a post-drench efficacy check.
Nematode parasites pose the greatest current threat to agricultural productivity and animal welfare. Sub-clinical worm infections cost the UK sheep industry over £84m a year. Currently most anthelmintic treatments are given to entire herds or groups of animals following a treatment regime that is not based on any diagnostic or epidemiology information. This approach is not sustainable since it promotes the spread of anthelimintic resistance and there are concerns with regard to food residues and environmental impact.
Anthelmintic resistance has been diagnosed in many coun-tries worldwide. Scientists at Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh showed in a survey in 2000 that 80% of lowland farms in Scotland had parasites that were resistant to the white drenches (benzimidazoles)..
In trials it was shown that the use of anthelmintics is dramatically reduced by using a targeted treatment or targeted selective treatment (TST) approach. The group also showed that the use of a TST approach could reduce anthelmintic usage by 50% compared to whole flock monthly treatments, whilst still maintaining similar levels of animal performance. This can lead to a number of advantages for farmers, not least a substantial reduction in costs because less anthelmintic is required. A study of eight participating farmers who used a targeted treatment approach showed that each saved an average of more than £600.
