Vet’s Experiences of Tail Docking, Castration, Disbudding &/Or Dehorning?
Instigated by Prof Cathy Dwyer and Dr Kenny Rutherford, SRUC are studying attitudes to a change of habits when it comes to the well-known painful procedures for Lambs and Calves – castration, tailing, dis-budding and de-horning. A Cattle related survey was conducted last year, and they are now researching sheep/lambs. Next year will be the final year and we look forward to hearing their results very much. The Sheep Vet Soc is asking vets to take part in the survey too. The aim is to establish the key drivers that would allow practical farmers to make a significant, but potentially disruptive, change to working practices aimed at improved animal welfare. It’s ‘aye been is our biggest hurdle !
We have shared our own survey results with SRUC – it asked similar questions probably. I need to update it and offer it up again as a conduit for farmers to voice their opinions to us, the manufacturers. So here is our original survey.