Falkland Estate has confirmed today (Friday, June 5) that it has humanely culled 271 cattle on its farm in Fife after a Scottish government investigation deemed the cattle as “untraceable and unidentifiable” due to regulatory violations.
A Scottish government spokesperson stated that the cattle were found to be non-compliant with regulations as a result of a cattle identification and traceability inspection at the farm.
The spokesperson noted that these regulations “must be adhered with for disease prevention, control, eradication and the protection of public health.”
Following the inspection, the government officials placed a “permanent movement restriction” on the 271 cattle, preventing them from entering the food chain.
According to the government spokesperson, Falkland Estate subsequently made “the difficult decision to slaughter the animals”, which mainly consisted of Aberdeen Angus and Belted Galloway cattle.
Investigation
Falkland Rural Enterprise Ltd (FREL) said that its farm’s issue first came to light following concerns raised during a routine veterinary inspection, which led to a “comprehensive review” into livestock records and management systems to establish the extent of the problem.
As further information emerged, FREL stated that it “proactively engaged” with government officials to conduct a formal investigation into the matter, with serious failures in livestock record keeping and animal registration being identified as a result.
Following an official count and detailed review of the herd, government inspectors determined that “a significant number of animals could not be verified as compliant with the strict traceability and registration requirements that underpin livestock legislation and protect the integrity of the food chain.”
FREL outlined that it “accepts full responsibility for the management and oversight failures” that lead to the decision to cull the affected livestock.
Falkland Estate
While acknowledging that the investigation’s findings are “deeply regrettable”, the FREL chair Ninan Stuart stated that “investigating and addressing the matter fully was essential.”
He said: “The standards expected of our business were not met, and for that I am sincerely sorry.
“The loss of livestock on this scale is something none of us ever wanted to see, and we recognise the profound impact it has had on our staff, our neighbours, and the wider community that has long supported the estate.
“Our priority now is to ensure the highest standards of animal welfare throughout this process, support the staff who have been deeply affected, and continue working closely with the relevant authorities to address the consequences of these failures.”
The chair of FREL emphasised that the Estate is “committed to learning every lesson from this situation and putting in place the systems, controls and oversight necessary to ensure it can never happen again.”
“I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to our staff, veterinary advisers, government officials and all those who have supported us during an exceptionally difficult period,” Stuart added.