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Livestock

Scottish traceability rules lead to mass cattle cull

WLJ
Jun. 12, 2026 1 minute read
Scottish traceability rules lead to mass cattle cull

Belted Galloways at WWT Lower Mill Farm. Cirencester, England.

Gail Hampshire

Scottish government inspectors will not attend the planned slaughter of 271 cattle at Falkland Estate in Fife, Scotland, after receiving threats through social media and phone calls, according to a report by the BBC.

The cattle were set to be culled after the farm failed to properly register the animals, leaving them unable to enter the food chain under Scotland’s livestock traceability rules. Government officials had originally planned to oversee the cull but later informed the estate they would verify the process through other means.

The BBC reported that callers sought inspectors’ names and addresses, prompting safety concerns. Estate representatives said the decision places additional pressure on staff as they carry out one of Scotland’s largest recent cattle culls. 

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