Regulations put hunt’s service in jeopardy

THE BICESTER with Whaddon Chase hunt has warned it may soon be forced to abandon its fallen stock collection service.

Milton Keynes farmer Harold Bowley, chairman of the Bicester with Whaddon Chase, said the new regulations governing fallen stock collection are “unworkable”.

“We’ve two incinerators that we’re told must be upgraded at a cost of £15,000 which is what they cost to install. We haven’t burned any stock for three months and now collect fallen stock as a service to farmers.

“We feed the flesh we need but it”s costing us 1000 a month to get rid of the rest. Our farmers pay a voluntary annual fee for fallen stock collection – anything between £200-£400,” said Mr Bowley.

He reckons it would be cheaper to stop feeding flesh – which would mean no more collections from farms – and feed hounds hard feed.

“The administration and regulations, which could see us prevented from going from farm on a collection round, are impossible to operate,” said Mr Bowley.