Eamon Scanlon (Fianna Fail)

I have some knowledge of farming and while the value of a lamb or a sheep may not be as high as the cost of a visit from a vet, the farmer would have the welfare of the animal at heart in all cases with which I have dealt. Farmers can deal with 99.9% of lambing cases and vets are usually called out when cows are calving, which is when serious problems can occur. Vets are always called in such cases. The risk is very high in that the loss of a cow or a calf is serious and farmers do not usually wait.

Farmers are better organised than they were years ago and know exactly when their sheep are yeaning. They bring them in, look after them and watch them closely and it is crucial that they do so or they will not stay in business.