The vast majority of farmers treat their animals properly but it was regrettable that in a small number of cases standards were not attained, the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Joe Walsh said yesterday. Seán Mac Connell reports.
He was speaking at the launch of the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory guidelines for beef and sheep farmers which had been drawn up during the year for him.
The chairman of the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory Council, Prof Patrick Fottrell, said the council had adopted the best farm animal husbandry practices and welfare standards taking account of five basic needs for animals.
These were, he said, freedom from thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain, injury and disease, freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour and freedom from fear and distress.
The FAWAC booklet on the correct handling of sheep runs to 12 pages and the guidelines for beef farmers to 20, covering all aspects of handling , feeding, housing needs and husbandry.