The news that an old cow diagnosed with BSE on an Aberdeenshire farm, hit the top of the news agenda on Thursday. It was trending at number one on the BBC website, front page of the papers and the first item for the evening Scottish TV news. This is all from an isolated case and posed zero risk to public health showing just how emotive the three letters ‘BSE’ are for the media. Nevertheless we must feel for the Jacksons, of Boghead Farm who were caught in the centre of the storm.

I know our industry bodies had a busy week correcting many national journalists who were confusing BSE with foot and mouth and putting up pictures of burning pyres. They do not need to show that footage of the dairy cow scrabbling around the byre every single time someone mentions BSE.

Whilst we may be worried about the negative impact to the beef sector, I have better faith in our consumer to understand the risk. Changing consumer habits happens slowly unless there is a genuine food scare.

During horsegate the sale of Scottish meat remained consistent where assurances were given thanks to the Scotch Beef label.

The market doesn’t look to have been hit either from the negative headlines. A slide of 4-9p/kg in the deadweight cow price and a dip in the live ring was happening before last Thursday’s news broke.

The loss of the negligible risk status will hit the export of beef from older cattle. However, we have to remember that Ireland gained access to China and the US, both notoriously sniffy about BSE, whilst having a BSE negligible risk status like ourselves now. Our historic legacy of BSE means we have rigorous testing and the fact that genetic mutations can occur at any time means we may never be able to have a prolonged BSE free status.

Higher disposal costs for waste at abattoirs and a situation where some parts of the carcase are no longer able to get into the food chain will put a strain on the sector, particularly for abattoirs processing a lot of older cows.

This week Declan Marren along with our Farm Profit Programme farmers Andy and Debbie Duffus at Tomintoul visited SRUC’s hill sheep farm at Kirkton. The staff were great and very open on their costs and how they are running their hill sheep flocks. I would recommend farmers try and get a chance to see the facility if they get time.

From SRUC’s efforts they have managed to get hill sheep costs down to losing only £6/ewe for their flock. Whilst this may seem unsuccessful, we must remember this is a research farm and not run as a commercial enterprise.

However, these figures are in line with what other hill units are achieving and it is the harsh realities of hill sheep farming that profit is often unattainable without Government support.

Head researcher Professor Davy McCracken stressed the importance of a multi-factorial approach to profitable sheep systems, where genetics, management and technology come together to play a role.

In sharp contrast to the hard farming facts of selling Blackface stores at £35/head, the industry saw a tup sold for £160,000 this week at Lanark, again. Much is made of these top sellers but it’s more important to focus on the stark realities of commercial hill sheep farming and improving their lot.