Sheep sales at risk under tighter livestock transport limits

Major sheep sales, breeding movements and abattoir routes could be disrupted if tighter European livestock journey rules are adopted in the UK, the National Sheep Association has warned.

The organisation said closer regulatory alignment with the European Union must reflect the practical realities of British sheep farming and be guided by science-led animal welfare policy.

A proposed sanitary and phytosanitary agreement could reduce bureaucracy and make it easier to move British sheep products into European markets.

However, the NSA and other livestock groups are urging ministers to scrutinise proposed changes to Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005, which governs animal transport and maximum journey times.

The proposals are still being developed and have not become UK law.

Details of the exact journey limits and how they might apply under a future UK-EU agreement have yet to be confirmed.

One of the NSA’s main concerns is whether time spent at livestock markets, collection centres and sale grounds would count towards the maximum permitted journey.

It wants these periods excluded where animals can be unloaded, move freely, rest and drink.

According to the association, 9.5 million sheep were traded through livestock markets in England and Wales in 2025.

NSA policy manager Michael Priestley warned that major breeding events, including the NSA Wales and Border Ram Sale at Builth Wells and the Kelso Ram Sales, could be affected by inflexible restrictions.

These events attract livestock, farmers and buyers from across the country and play an important role in breeding and genetic improvement.

Tighter rules could also restrict the movement of breeding sheep between upland and lowland farms and make some collection routes between northern England and Scotland impractical.

“We have one industry that, Bluetongue restrictions aside, spans four nations and a long history of livestock markets that enable effective trade and bring social and environmental benefits all from the movement of livestock around the country,” Mr Priestley said.

The NSA said the loss of more than 1,000 abattoirs over the past 40 years had left some regions with little nearby slaughterhouse capacity.

Greater specialisation within the livestock sector also means breeding animals often travel longer distances between farms, markets and processing sites.

The association warned that some journeys from Scotland to abattoirs in Wales could fall outside the suggested limits.

“There is nervousness in the industry that UK policy makers in the recent past have tried to increase regulatory requirements relating to livestock haulage and concern that the EU proposals may be pushing on an open door,” Mr Priestley said.

“The farming industry is united in calling for time at a market, collection centre or sale ground where animals have freedom to move, rest and drink should not be classed as journey time.”

The NSA said blanket reductions could threaten the viability of farms in upland, highland, island and other remote areas.

Farmers in regions with low livestock density may struggle to reach markets or slaughterhouses within shorter legal journey periods.

The organisation also warned of consequences for protected landscapes maintained through grazing.

Further pressure on sheep numbers could affect habitats and ecosystems shaped by generations of pastoral farming, it argued.

The NSA believes shorter limits could result in more fragmented journeys involving additional unloading and reloading.

It said repeated handling could cause extra stress and potentially increase the risk of disease transmission, including bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus.

Further transport requirements could also raise costs for farmers, hauliers, processors and consumers.

The association argues that animal welfare rules should focus on outcomes rather than rely solely on fixed time thresholds.

It said vehicle design, skilled stockmanship, journey planning, road priority and effective enforcement could provide greater welfare benefits than inflexible limits alone.

Mr Priestley said significantly shorter journeys would require a stronger network of regional markets, abattoirs and local supply chains.

“The alternative to long journey times is more local and regional economies and trading patterns, but the trend for decades if not centuries has been for consolidation, as this has been the route to efficiency and margin for an industry pressured by supermarket buying power and food expenditure shrinking as a proportion of household outgoings,” he said.

The NSA said the UK sheep sector had a strong record of caring for livestock while supporting rural economies, landscapes and communities.

It is calling for sheep farmers, livestock markets, hauliers and processors to be fully involved before any revised transport rules are incorporated into a future UK-EU agreement.