Livestock transport under the microscope — again

October 25, 2022 at 10:00 am

At present, cattle and sheep from Orkney and Shetland are loaded onto special containers known as “cassettes” for onward travel to the Scottish mainland via NorthLink Ferries freight ships.

A review of the current arrangements that regulate the shipping of livestock from Orkney and Shetland to the Scottish mainland is set to take place.

Following a recommendation by the UK Farm Animal Welfare Committee, the Scottish Government is in the early stages of a project which will investigate and inform consideration of possible future changes to animal transport, and how journey times at sea should be treated.

It will come as a disappointing body blow for the industry, less than 12 months on from two separate government consultations, which sparked huge concern for the very future and viability of Orkney’s biggest industry.

Read more in this week’s The Orcadian.