Pedigree breeders of Zwartbles sheep have hit out at the Department of Agriculture for refusing to grant them “zootechnical certification” which is necessary for them to trade within the EU.

Members of the Irish Zwartbles Sheep Association (IZSA)  say their group meets all the criteria necessary for breeder recognition, including securing the flock with Sheep Ireland and establishing a breed programme, however, they say the Department has “left them in the lurch” by putting their application “on hold”.

Until December 2020, most Zwartbles breeders in the Republic were linked to a breed society in UK, which had been the case since the first pedigree Zwartbles lambs were registered in the country by Ardee sheep farmer Ray Sweeney in 2006.

However, the UK’s departure from the EU meant breeders could no longer trade within the EU and so IZSA was formed last December and its 40 members have since sought pedigree or zootechnical certification from the Department .

It is understood that a second Zwartbles pedigree sheep association, Zwartbles Éire, also formed in 2018.

Bloodlines

Speaking to the Farming Independent, IZSA chairman Jimmy Smith said: “The Department stopped recognising Zwartbles sheep with a UK pedigree cert once the UK left the EU, that piece of paper is now useless, which is why we set up our own association.

“We have fulfilled everything that’s required under the Department’s criteria, we’ve ticked all the boxes, so we just don’t understand why they can’t give us our certification.”

The Gorey-based farmer added: “In my situation, I was contacted by a gentleman in Holland who wanted 150 Zwartbles sheep, but I had to say ‘unfortunately I can’t do that because we’re not zootechnically certified’.

“I’m a European farmer, but the Department is preventing me from trading with my fellow European farmers. It’s very confusing.”

When asked if the establishment of a second association for the breed has impacted on the application process, Mr Smith replied: “Suffolk sheep have two societies, as do Angus on the cattle side, so there are other societies that are able to operate while representing the one breed.

“We have no problem at all with the other society getting pedigree certification too. It’s as if the Department want both societies to join together and do a joint application which doesn’t seem fair. We are an association in our own right.”

Mr Sweeney added: “We have done everything and we’re still left in the dark. The Department has let us down. If we can’t get stock in from the likes of Europe, we’ll end up running out of bloodlines.

“For me, it means my last 16 years of working with Zwartbles sheep has just gone out the window. Really and truly I’m the cause of everybody in the south of Ireland having Zwartbles sheep.

“We are in a stalemate and I don’t know where I’m going with my enterprise from here.”

The Department of Agriculture did not respond to queries on the matters