§ Mr. Ron DaviesTo ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what comments he has received from the Farm Animal Welfare Council concerning the ear punching of cattle; and if he has any plans to discontinue the practice;562W (2) what comments he has received from the Farm Animal Welfarm Council concerning the ear punching of sheep; and if he will take steps to halt this practice when the variable premium scheme ceases.
§ Mr. MacleanIn its report on the welfare of livestock at markets in 1986, the Farm Animal Welfare Council recommended that on welfare grounds methods should be found for certifying livestock under the premium schemes which did not involve ear punching.
In their response, the Government noted that provided punches were kept sharp and used by properly trained staff, stress to the animals was kept to a minimum. The Government also stated their willingness to consider other methods which would meet the requirements of the Community schemes, but to date no satisfactory alternatives have been found. There are therefore no plans at present to discontinue this control mechanism in relation to cattle. For sheep, however, the need for ear punching under the variable premium scheme will no longer exist when the scheme ends in January 1992.