Scottish Government officials have come under fire for carrying out cross-compliance inspections during lambing time.
The Shetland MSP and Scottish Lib Dem rural affairs spokesman Tavish Scott described the Government as “irresponsible and “intensely unhelpful” for carrying out farm and croft inspections while sheep are lambing.
“Lambing is a demanding three weeks for every sheep farmer and crofter. But the Scottish Government are counting sheep during the busiest time of the farm year,” he said.
“I can’t think of a more irresponsible act from the Scottish Government than to get in the way during lambing.
“Inspections of sheep are intensive, bureaucratic and time consuming. They are part of agricultural life and as welcome as a visit from the VAT man.
“There is no possible justification for the Scottish Government forcing such inspections to happen during lambing.”
He called on Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead to put a stop to all sheep inspections until lambing is over a view supported by NFU Scotland.
President Nigel Miller said: “Having to have sheep inspected at this time is the last thing any shepherd or farmer should be asked to do.
“We understand some of the recent inspections were carried out at the request of European auditors.
“We have written to the auditors to stress that in future any inspections or audits take place at a more convenient time in the sheep calendar when sheep aren’t subject to stress, and farmers and shepherds aren’t on overload.”
The Scottish Government last night said it took seasonal practices, such as lambing, into consideration when planning inspections.
A spokesman said: “Our inspectors fully appreciate livestock inspections can be disruptive, which is why most sheep inspections are carried out in the autumn and the vast majority of cattle inspections during the winter when cattle are housed.
“On the recent visit to Scotland by European auditors they required to check two sheep farmers from the circa 15,000 sheep keepers in Scotland to ensure the industry continues to benefit annually from the £600 million plus in CAP payments.
“Whilst we have no say over the timing of European audit visits, we always endeavour to give the auditors practical agricultural support and advice on our unique local Scottish conditions.”
He said in this instance the European auditors had agreed to carry out record checks at only one farm and limit physical sheep checks to 16 sheep on the second to avoid any “adverse welfare or husbandry consequences” while lambing was under way.
“Follow-up inspections to complete the physical checks have been subsequently arranged at a time agreed with the farmers involved,” said the spokesman.
“While stressful for all concerned, these inspections are vital in demonstrating to the EU that the industry is farming responsibly and avoiding risk to the essential CAP payments upon which our farming industry relies,” he added.