The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has supported the National Association of Agricultural Contractors’ (NAAC) work, in collaboration with the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS), to produce a new Code of Practice for the mobile dipping of sheep.
Sheep scab is prevalent in around a quarter of Welsh sheep flocks and costs the industry around £12 million every year.
The FUW worked with the Sheep Scab Industry Group to submit an industry-led sheep scab report to Welsh Government in 2018 which recognised the need for coordinated treatment across contiguous premises and outlined a sheep scab control programme which would increase the likelihood of neighbouring farms working together to eradicate scab through a more holistic and workable approach.
Despite a free pilot scheme for the testing of skin scrape samples, the industry is yet to receive the promised £5.1 million for an eradication programme from more than 2 years ago.
While sheep dipping remains an essential tool in the box for many farmers in Wales to prevent sheep scab, it is vital that it is carried out professionally in compliance with relevant legislation.
The guidance has been produced to remind farmers, contractors and prescribers of their responsibilities.
The Code of Practice can be found here: https://www.naac.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Industry-Sheep-Dip-Code-of-Practice.pdf