Today's Telegraph has a picture of the annual droving of 5000 sheep through the centre of Madrid.

just like the picture of last year's drive, not a single ear tag in sight!. 

Have Spanish farmers got a derogation on ear tagging, or are there special rules for British farmers?

Maybe a bit of research from someone at FW could lead to an interesting article and a letter to Jim Paice.

Peter, I had a look at the photo on-line. The explanation lies in the fact that it is taken from the right-hand side.  It is an old custom in Spain, you only eat the right ear of a sheep, thus they are allowed to tag in the left ear only. Probably some sort of cultural throw-back to the Moorish era. Stuart

Stuart Meikle:

It is an old custom in Spain, you only eat the right ear of a sheep, thus they are allowed to tag in the left ear only.

Thanks Stuart. It is nice to know that old practices are permitted under EU regulation. I am left to wonder why I was not allowed to put one tag only in the left ear due to it being an old practice?

Incidentally. I have had a look at your Romanian website and think it first class for content.

To be allowed to use the Spanish regulations you just have to agree that you will only allow the press to photograph your sheep from the right-hand side. It is in the small print somewhere.

Stuart Meikle:

 It is an old custom in Spain, you only eat the right ear of a sheep, thus they are allowed to tag in the left ear only.

Yeah, right !

I don't object to the Spanish not tagging their sheep, I just object to the fact that we have to follow all the (gold-plated) rules whilst others don't have to bother.

The only tag a sheep needs is a single batch tag when leaving the holding and not before. Anything else is pointless !

Would be nice if FW could embarrass the EU into going to Spain for a look though.

welshnwilling:

The only tag a sheep needs is a single batch tag when leaving the holding and not before. Anything else is pointless !