Madam, - You report (November 20th) the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Joe Walsh saying at the launch of the Farm Animal Welfare Advisory guidelines for beef and sheep farmers: "The vast majority of farmers treat their animals properly but it was regrettable that in a small number of cases standards were not attained."
At the same event 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 discomfort, freedom from pain, injury and disease, freedom to express normal patterns of behaviour and freedom from distress."
I can't speak for the rest of the country but anyone familiar with the Curragh plains cannot but be aware of the appalling, constant sight of sheep hobbling along on three legs, the fourth limb pitifully held aloft in a vain effort to ease the dreadful pain of foot rot. This is an everyday, predictable occurrence.
I estimate that more than 10 per cent of the sheep on the Curragh plains are affected by the disease at any time.
Roughly two weeks ago I came across one unfortunate lamb whose foot rot was so gross the affected limb had trebled in diameter. Vets tell me that foot rot is a readily treatable condition. I guess this requires effort and the spending of a few euro.
I recommend that Mr Walsh and Prof Fottrell visit the Curragh plains and see for themselves. I suggest that they first take in the environs of the Curragh Golf Club. - Yours, etc.,
Dr GERARD CAFFREY, Brownstown, The Curragh, Co Kildare