The sheep sector is on the cusp of a scab explosion, unless action is taken, according to Livestock Health Scotland chair Nigel Miller. The stark warning from the former NFUS President, follows a Perthshire show cancelling all livestock due to a scab outbreak in the district. For the first time since compulsory dipping was scrapped, a livestock ban has been forced for fears that mixing sheep would increase the spread of the disease.

Earlier this year the organising committee of the Strathardle Highland Gathering and Agricultural show took the difficult decisions to stop all livestock attending the show. The owners of the field, by Kirkmichael, which hosts the livestock had been told by their vet not to let it out for the show due to disease concerns. As a result, the show committee had no option but to cancel the livestock, as there were not alternative sites for the event.

Show organiser, Fiona Drysdale said: “Firstly the event is still going ahead but we decided not to have any livestock this year. Next year we hope to be back to normal though. We did look at holding it somewhere else, but that wasn’t an option with the requirements for catering and toilets. We missed it for two years with covid so it is quite disappointing to have to cancel the animals. But we do intend to make sure we get them back next year.”

The confined show typically has up 200 sheep and 30 cattle entries. The cattle were cancelled as vets felt scab could still be brought into the field from floats and trailers as the mite can live for up to 17 days off a sheep in dirt or wool.

David Houstoun who farms five miles from Kirkmichael is disappointed there will be no animals at the show but agrees it is the right decision as the area is making a combined efforts to tackle sheep scab. Mr Houston runs 1100 Blackface , Cheviot and Aberfield ewes at Glenkilrie and has been one of the farmers affected by the disease in the area. He said: “From my perspective, it is not a crime to have scab but it is a crime not to treat it, report it and tell your neighbours. We had scab ourselves on one of our hirsel which we spotted after tupping. I am not sure how it came in, we had only bought in tups and they had been on the farm over a year and showed no signs. When we notified APHA they didn’t get back to us. If we are trying to chap this on the head, then we need good support. But since we have started the meetings APHA have been very friendly and keen to help.

“We jabbed our ewes but it didn’t have a dramatic effect, so we dipped them all in January which worked well. I would say our ewes in the affect hirsel scanned was back 15% to 20% that year though. The neighbours were brilliant when we made them aware. I would say everyone is taking it onboard.”

Three vet groups have banded together in Kirriemuir, Blairgowrie and Forfar to start a programme to fight scab in the area. Following a number of well attended meetings, farmers are being asked to dip, or inject if the only option, all their sheep between October and November before tupping and again in the new year around scanning time. This is not a compulsory scheme with not financial support from the Government, but it is being run in consultation with APHA. The farms have been dived up into three areas, Glenshee, Glenisla and Strathardle with Mr Houstoun explaining that around 90% of the farmers are taking part.

Across Scotland there are increased instances of the disease and animal health leader Nigel Miller believes the industry is at a crossroads. He said: “We are into a new world for scab, unless there is a co-ordinated approach, the disease will get totally out of control. Injectables alone wont work and we do not have the dipping facilities to control the disease properly. There is increased resistant mites to products likes cydectin, ivomec and dectomax which means that jabbing them is no longer fool proof. Dipping is becoming a bigger tool than before, and in some cases the only tool. We have to get our heads round that.

“We are at a tipping point, either we get a grip of it, or it becomes like an epidemic.

“Scotland has the tools with the notifiable status and movement records which could lock down the diseases until flocks were clean. If we traced contact from an affected flock and notify them or we could ensure they dip their sheep. But as far as I am aware no tracing are being done. And the enforcement which follows up is poor and ineffective.”

Mr Miller is keen to explore a national testing scheme which could verify scab free flocks and allow others tackle the disease. Livestock Health Scotland is supporting a number of projects across the country looking at how best to monitor the disease and reduce sheep scab.