NFU Scotland is urging the government to provide clarity on when applicants to Scotland’s new Beef Efficiency Scheme are going to receive the tags necessary to meet scheme rules.
An estimated 180,000 beef cows from 2,000 Scottish farmers have enrolled in the new five-year £45 million rural development scheme, which looks to improve the efficiency, sustainability and quality of the herd while helping producers increase the genetic value of their stock and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Tissue tagging 20 per cent of cattle for genetic evaluation is a crucial element of the scheme rules but no tissue tags have yet been received by scheme applicants. The NFUS says that is frustrating for the many farmers who have already housed and handled their cattle for the winter, with many of those animals now located in overwintering accommodation that is some distance from the home farm.