Fife farm to slaughter 271 untraceable cattle

A Fife farm is set to slaughter 271 cattle after government inspectors found the animals could not be identified or traced through Scotland’s livestock monitoring system.

The cattle were discovered during a routine cattle identification and traceability inspection at Falkland Estate carried out by the Scottish government’s Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID).

Officials said the animals were “unidentifiable and untraceable”. It is believed to be one of the largest cattle traceability breaches recorded in Scotland.

See also: Diverse cattle tracing systems could undermine disease protection

A government spokesman said: “During the inspection, 271 animals were found to be unidentifiable and untraceable, which means they cannot enter the food chain and are placed under a permanent movement restriction.

“In this case, the business has taken the difficult decision to slaughter the animals and Scottish government inspectors will attend to verify the slaughter.”

The farm is reported to run Aberdeen Angus and Belted Galloway cattle. Industry estimates suggest the affected animals could be worth up to £500,000, although no official valuation has been released.

The Scottish Farmer reported that the business was not expected to receive compensation and could also face the costs associated with the destruction of the animals.

‘Deeply sad’ situation

An NFU Scotland (NFUS) spokesman described the situation as “deeply sad” for the business involved but said the union could not comment on the specific circumstances while the regulatory process was ongoing.

More broadly, NFUS stressed that livestock identification and traceability systems were fundamental to Scotland’s livestock sector, playing a vital role in animal health, welfare, disease prevention and food safety.

Under Scottish rules, cattle must carry approved ear tags and be recorded through the ScotEID system, creating a full record of their birth, movements and eventual slaughter or death. Farmers are legally required to report all births, deaths and movements.

Failure to comply can result in movement restrictions, support payment penalties, slaughter notices and legal action.