The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has issued a warning to farmers and smallholders not to feed catering or kitchen waste to livestock such as pigs and poultry, even if they are being kept as pets.

APHA and Trading Standards are still finding and investigating incidents where farmers and smallholders are illegally feeding pigs and poultry with catering waste, often because they are unaware of the disease risk posed to their livestock by giving them this type of food.

The reminder, which appears to be largely targeted at smallholders and people with pet pigs and poultry, stresses that it remains illegal to feed catering waste, kitchen scraps, meat or meat products to farmed animals.

This is to prevent the introduction of potentially devastating notifiable animal diseases, such as African and Classical Swine Fever, and Foot and Mouth disease.

Catering waste means all waste food originating in restaurants, catering facilities and household kitchens. Due to the risk of cross contamination, this includes vegetarian kitchens, where products of animal origin such as milk are used in food preparation.

Market round-up

United Auctions sold 512 store heifers at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 261.2p per kg and an average of 211.8p (-6.1p on the week), while 773 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 291.2p and levelled at 215.9p (+5.6p). Twenty-eight store, B&W bullocks sold to 197.1p and averaged 132p (-6.2p), while 51 store bulls peaked at 209.2p and levelled at 185.1p (no comparison).

In the rough ring 135 beef cows sold to £1270 per head and 144.1p per kg to average 117.4p (-1.9p), while 26 dairy cows peaked at £976 and 138.5p to level at 110.8p (+17.4p).

C&D Auction Marts Ltd had 12 prime cattle forward in Dumfries on Wednesday when heifers sold to 215.5p and averaged 200.4p, while bullocks peaked at 222.5p and levelled at 200.6p.

There were 56 OTM cattle presented in the rough ring when beef cows sold to £1330 and 175p to average 106.9p, while dairy cows peaked at £1277.20 and 124p to level at 98.2p.

The firm also sold 634 prime hoggs to a top of £88 per head and 182p per kg to average 160.8p (-11.4p).

The 421 cast sheep forward saw heavy ewes sell to £104.50 for Texels and average £61.37 (-£11.89), while light ewes peaked at £51.50 for Blackfaces and levelled at £35.86 (-£11.96).

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 805 prime hoggs in Newton Stewart on Wednesday to a top of £77 and 184.5p to average 160.6p (-0.6p).

There were also 475 cast sheep forward that were cheaper on the week with ewes selling to £94 for Texels and £48 for Blackfaces.