Thanks to The Scottish Farmer for the following article which appeared in print in their 28 October 2023 edition. www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk
More than two years after Aberdeenshire Suffolk breeder Irene Fowlie exported the first sheep to Georgia, she has defied all odds and sent a double load – by air. Such is the demand for genetics from her high index performance recorded Essie flock from Fraserburgh, that the buyers of the first importation requested another 70 breeding females and three shearling rams soon after their foundation purchase.
However, despite having an Export Health Certificate and the flock being scrapie monitored and MV accredited for years, Irene and her husband Jim had to jump through hoops before the sheep were given permission to travel a second time.As in the initial export, the couple had to wait a good year to get a second deal up and running when Defra refused to allow a permit for the sheep to be transported by road on welfare grounds.
Furthermore, after months of licence requests, health certificates and screeds upon screeds of other paperwork sent to various international heads and veterinarians, they found the only way they could travel was by air – at a hefty cost of £800 per animal.The buyer of the first importation, the Adjara Group LLC – one of the most prestigious group companies in Georgia involved in hospitality, gambling and agriculture – was more than willing to cough up the cost of a second load which arrived on Saturday morning following three separate flights.International livestock haulier, Andrew Ewing transported the Essie sheep down from the farm to Stansted on the Thursday – just hours ahead of Storm Babet which caused major travel disruption in the north-east – with Irene and Jim following them down to the airport to wave them off.
The couple also got to see them transported onto the hold of the cargo plane which had to be air conditioned and maintain a temperature of between four and eight degrees C.
"It was just an amazing experience seeing the sheep being transported onto the plane and what they were travelling in on the aircraft," said Irene, who was blown away by the care and consideration of cabin crew who carted the sheep from the lorry into specifically designed wooden crates that had been made in Holland, to be lifted onto the plane.
"We spent months negotiating a deal with a Spanish transport company with two stops on route, only for Defra to block such movements on welfare grounds which just seems crazy when eastern European countries are desperate for British genetics.
"We discovered the only way they could travel was by air as it saved having to go through each Border Control post, but even then the paperwork to get the sheep to Georgia is unbelievable," said a highly relieved Irene once she heard the sheep had arrived safely.
"A certificate of origin and EOR number had to obtained before we could consider transport and even then Georgia wouldn't send an import permit until they had received all the veterinarian health certificates which they had to have within 24hours of the sheep leaving the farm."
Irene also had to make up a 'seating plan' for the sheep on the plane to ensure their weight was evenly distributed when the load comprised gimmers and ewe lambs of various weights ranging from 55-100kg and three shearling rams.
Initially the sheep had to travel down to Stansted via a road transporter with a Type 2 Licence and satellite tracking, complete with travel log and customs documentation. From these valuable sheep transported in crates, flew to Masstricht in the Netherlands and soon after departed for Istanbul in Turkey. After a few hours stop over, they flew onto Georgia and their new home in Tibilisi.Georgia has a very old sheep industry with sheep bred for wool, cheese making and meat. With the purchase of pedigree Suffolk sheep, The Adjara Group also hopes to promote the breed throughout the country for its superior growth and meat characteristics.
Speaking on Radio 4’s Farming Today Programme on 1st November, Irene Fowlie added: “Native Breeds in Georgia tend to be bred for milk, making cheese and for their wool, and they need a meat breed - and as Suffolks are well known for very fast growth and good conformation, they wanted to set up a foundation flock of Suffolk sheep to improve meat breeding sheep in the country.” Please click HERE for the full programme.
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