Ear marking ID launched

Following years of detailed and intricate work carried out by North Wales Police's Printing Department, the latest publication of Meirionnydd's sheep ear notching book has been launched.

NFU Cymru will now ensure that a copy is sent to every member in Meirionnydd County, in order that farmers continue to uphold this long standing farming tradition.

Speaking from the launch, Emyr Jones who farms at Mallwyd, South of Dolgellau, Chairman of Meirionnydd Farmwatch said: "Farming is changing at a very fast rate especially with all the new rules and regulations coming into the industry. We are therefore, over the moon, that joint working continues between North Wales Police and local farmers to ensure that sheep identification continues to be catalogued in this way. Many neighbouring farms are aware of each other's ear marks, but some sheep do tend to stray especially on mountainous land. This book is therefore essential to uphold one of the old farming traditions of the area."

NFU Cymru Policy Officer for the area, Dafydd Jarrett said: "We are very much aware that the police have a number of priorities but we are extremely pleased to see that this book has come to fruition. PC Iwan Roberts together with the former rural police officer Steven Owen have worked extremely hard to pull the information together. In the uplands of Meirionnydd county when the weather is poor, tags and pitch marks on sheep don't last the conditions. However, ear notching is the best way of identifying sheep particularly on farms with open mountain. This is a valuable id kit for Meirionnydd farmers, and one which needs to be continued."

The success and use of the book is also highly dependent on the voluntary work of the four travelling shepherds. Their knowledge of Meirionnydd sheep ear notches together with this book will continue to be invaluable in the area.