Following numerous meetings with Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs (Defra) and Food Standards Agency (FSA), the National Farmers Union (NFU) and National Sheep Association (NSA) have reached the point of being able to formally ask the Farming minister for a change to carcase splitting rules for sheep.

Numerous industry organisations have come in behind the request to change the rules, including bodies representing farmers, auctioneers and abattoirs. All have agreed that moving away from a "mouthing" system to a calendar-system for determining when to split carcases would bring benefits for the whole supply chain, domestic and export markets. Instead of checking lambs for the eruption of their first set of permanent incisors, the proposed new system would see a simple cut-off date of 30th June each year. All lambs sent to slaughter before this date would be deemed to be under 12-months of age and, therefore, not required to have their carcase split.

Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive said: "Despite there being no evidence of BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy) crossing species from cattle to sheep in field conditions, nor evidence that scrapie poses any risk to human health, TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) regulations were brought in as a "precautionary measure" and any change, however minor is met with resistance from Europe.

"While our two organisations will continue to fight for wider-scale reform at a European level, we feel more immediate gains can be made with the proposed change to a calendar system. Following an unprecedented level of industry consultation and detailed discussions with Defra and FSA officials, NFU and NSA have confirmed this change will be made at a UK level, not EU, so we have formally requested George Eustice, Defra Parliamentary Under secretary of State, to go ahead with this alternative implementation of the TSE regulations."

NSA and NFU argue the change to a date-based system would remove a great deal of uncertainty from the supply chain, as well as save money from not having to check for teeth in markets and abattoirs.

Market round-up

The Cumberland and Dumfriesshire Farmers Mart sold 1223 prime lambs in Longtown on Thursday to a top of £88.50 per head and 217.2p per kg to average 167.2p (-13.5p on the week), while 270 hoggs levelled at 138.5p (-10.3p).

There were also 2789 cast sheep forward when heavy ewes sold to £154 for Texels and averaged £86.84 (+£3.36), while light ewes peaked at £86 for Hill Cheviots and levelled at £58.27 (+68p). Rams sold to £166 for a Leicester and averaged £102.35 (-£12.99).