NFU responds to Defra’s lamb castration and tail docking proposals

The NFU has submitted its response to the government's consultation on proposed changes to rules for castrating and tail docking lambs.

The response included data from 675 NFU members who submitted their feedback via the NFU's replica survey, hosted on NFUonline.

The NFU's response stressed the diminished confidence in the sector should the proposals be implemented, highlighting the market barriers they would create, ultimately undermining British trading competitiveness across the globe.

We also pressed the need for continued animal welfare standards and core import standards, and raised concerns over implementation timelines without the availability of suitable and alternative pain relief products. 

For further detail on the NFU's response, read: NFU outlines concerns over tail docking and castration proposals

• NFU members can read the full response in this PDF download: NFU response to lamb castration and tail docking consultation
• Read the NFU Livestock Board's position on each of Defra's proposals 

This consultation is now closed for feedback.

The NFU is urging members to respond to Defra's consultation on changes to castration and tail docking legislation and has created a replica of the survey to aid members in having their say.

Defra's consultation is hosted on an engagement platform called Citizen Space. The NFU has received a high volume of complaints from NFU members over the accessibility and usability of the platform.

After reporting these issues to Defra, the NFU has been given permission to recreate the consultation on NFUonline and to submit responses to Defra on behalf of individual members.

If you have already submitted your response via the Citizen Space, there is no need to redo your submission on NFUonline.

The wording of the questions remains the same, however the number of steps it takes to complete the survey has been reduced and some questions have been excluded due to them being non-mandatory.

The NFU will also be responding to the consultation based on feedback collected through our 2024 survey, the national Livestock Board, our member webinar and branch/county meetings.

If you would like to give further comments after completing the survey – please email your comments to [email protected].  

Key points

• All survey responses obtained via NFUonline will be counted as individual responses.
• Individual responses to the NFU will not be included in our own response.
• If you have already submitted your response via the Citizen Space, there is no need to redo your submission on NFUonline.
• Questions asked on NFUonline mirror those asked by Defra.
• You do not need to answer all questions – only 3 questions are mandatory.

How to take part

Complete the survey on NFUonline. This survey consists of 34 questions and will take you around 20 minutes to complete. 

The deadline for responding to the survey via NFUonline is 5 March. 

Read the NFU Livestock Board's position on each of Defra's proposals (you will need to be logged in).

Members and non-members can also respond via GOV.UK | Lamb Welfare: Consultation on proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods, which closes on 9 March.

The government has launched its consultation seeking views on proposed changes to the methods use for lamb castration and tail docking. The consultation will run for 8 weeks until 9 March.

What is the government proposing?

The AWC (Animal Welfare Committee), an independent committee of Defra, Scottish and Welsh Governments, considered the implications of castration and tail docking for the welfare of lambs. It produced three reports, in 1994, in 2008, and in 2022.
 
The government has proposed that routine castration and tail docking should be minimised and if used it is carried out with pain relief. The consultation also promotes new methods (clips) currently used in Scotland to be allowed without pain relief, which the government says have been shown to be less harmful to welfare.

Another key proposal is allow castration and tail docking only in lambs over 24 hours old to 3 months by a suitably trained person, and by a veterinary surgeon only if the lamb is over 3 months of age.

Rubber ring castration and tail docking can at present be carried out by anyone over 18 on lambs under 7 days.

Defra is proposing that rubber ring castration and tail docking of lambs up to 3 months is carried out with anaesthetic and analgesic. The 3 months with pain relief would also apply to the use of clamps (Burdizzo), the Numnuts device, impregnated bands and short scrotum method and a hot iron with pain relief for tail docking.
 
Surgical castration and tail docking of lambs using a knife or blade may only be carried out by a veterinary surgeon with an effective anaesthetic and analgesic.
 
The use of clips, (clipfitter) for castration and tail docking will be permitted in lambs up to 3 months. Defra suggests the device is less painful than the rubber ring and therefore is not proposing to mandate the use of pain relief.
 
Other proposals include the provision of suitable and sufficient information, instruction and training for those carrying out these tasks. 

NFU position

Responding to the proposals, NFU Livestock Board Chair David Barton said: “These proposals will be of concern for sheep producers right across the UK. We carry out these essential management tasks for many reasons to protect the welfare of the animal and to ensure we can continue to sell lamb throughout the year.

“In a survey of our members two years ago, 87% of respondents said they use rubber rings to routinely castrate lambs and 93% to routinely tail dock lambs. 82% said the welfare of the lamb over its full lifetime would be negatively impacted if they could not castrate or tail dock.

“The industry must have these tools available and, while I’m open to the use of pain relief, we don’t currently have a licenced product for young lambs. Injecting young lambs risks introducing diseases and will be adding yet another task in sometimes difficult working environments.

“We must also consider the added cost to the supply chain, making the UK less competitive when compared to those that import thousands of tonnes of lamb into the UK each year. Our survey also found that 77% of respondents said if they could not castrate or tail dock lambs it would lead to a reduction in business profitability. 91% said they would need to increase the segregation of stock, 89% said it would result in unwanted pregnancies, and 75% said it would increase management and labour costs. 97% said the impact of not tail docking lambs would lead to an increased risk of fly strike and would require greater use of preventative medication and dipping.

“I’m proud that the UK already produces lamb to some of the highest standards in the world. This proposal, while well-meaning, could actually be detrimental to animal welfare, will reduce our ability to compete, damage confidence even further and impact potential for growth in a sector that has a strong future supplying quality lamb for the domestic and export market.”

Read about the consultation in full at: GOV.UK | Lamb welfare: proposed changes to castration and tail docking methods.