If they do not, they will have to meet the cost of disposal themselves, and because the combined capacity of the nine UK abattoirs contracted to the OCDS falls short of 6000 head a week, but an estimated 400,000 pre-August 1996 born cows are registered by BCMS in Britain and APHIS in Northern Ireland as still alive and on-farm, many could have difficulty booking them in at peak disposal times.

Current OCDS throughput is just over 2000 head a week, and a logjam over the peak culling season this autumn can only be avoided if as many cattle as possible are put through the system from June to September, explained NBA chairman Duff Burrell.

"Breeders who put an older cow back in calf this summer should realise that they are narrowing their disposal options down to dangerous levels. Such cows will be suckling calves next year and because a huge rush is anticipated again in autumn 2008, when everyone with a pre-August 1996 animal still on their farm will be banging on all doors to get them away before the scheme expires, it would be better to leave these cows barren and put them through this autumn instead."

The NBA and other farmers' organisations are soon to begin working with the Rural Payments Agency, BCMS/APHIS and the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to construct a centrally controlled official booking system that should be introduced this summer.

"The aim is for this to be based on ear tag numbers, so it is fully transparent, with no cows being block-booked or double-booked, which will allow the disposal system to operate at full throughput for as many weeks as possible," said Burrell.

Source: The Herald