Plea for resumption of sheep sales
A plea went out today for all sheep sales in Northern Ireland to resume as the scaling down of foot-and-mouth disease precautions continued.
Rev Ian Paisley claims that the continued ban on some sheep sales was causing serious difficulties for farmers.
The DUP leader, who chairs the scrutinising Agriculture Committee at Stormont, said he had written to Agriculture Minister Brid Rodgers pressing for urgent action so farmers observing proper precautions could ‘‘get on with trying to earn a living’’.
Farmers have been allowed to move sheep to common grazing for the past month and sales of pedigree sheep are to resume from July 30.
Dr Paisley said department serology tests showed the virus was not generally present in sheep apart from the flocks where it was found and dealt with.
‘‘On that basis, I see no reason why the resumption of sales of non-pedigree sheep should not also be resumed at the same time,’’ he said.
‘‘This delay is causing serious difficulties for farmers who traditionally hold sales of such animals in August, September and October and has serious implications for breeding stock.’’
