Thank you Anne - that is superb.
Below is a copy of the email I have sent to Richard Lochhead MSP today, copies to every sheep soc involved and to various sheep online chat groups, plus Lawrence Alderson. Soon I will also send similar stuff to NLC, The Glasgow Herald and The Scottish Farmer (need a cuppa first !) I haven't included the Eriskay Pony people as i don't have contact details - does anyone else? I would also like to send a copy to the RBST Caledonian support group - anyone have contact details for them?
To Richard Lochhead, MSP
On Tuesday 14th December, North Lanarkshire Council are meeting to discuss possible financial savings, which would include disposing of Palacerigg Country Park's rare breeds of farm livestock, as part of the austerity measures. They hope this will save £170,000 a year, a tiny percentage of their overall budget.
The importance of this collection of Scotlands rare breeds to our country cannot be over-emphasised.
#Currently, Palacerigg holds the only flock of the very rare Boreray breed of sheep in Scotland - 30 animals out of the total 439 in existence, the rest being in English flocks.
#North Ronaldsay sheep are world famous as 'the seaweed eating sheep' - there are fewer than 1000 of these animals all told. We have three small flocks in Scotland, one of them at Palacerigg.
#The iconic Soay breed of little sheep from St Kilda, the most primitive sheep in existence and of great value to science, has only six flocks of registered animals currently in Scotland, one of them at Palacerigg.
As well as several British rare breeds, Palacerigg also keeps Eriskay ponies which are desperately rare, Shetland cattle, Scots Grey and Scots Dumpy chickens - all Scottish breeds which are on the 'at risk' register of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. Nowhere else in Scotland is there such a collection of our rare breeds.
As a country, we have a duty to ourselves and under European law to maintain our rare breeds of livestock. They hold within their genes material which is of irreplaceable importance and significance for the development of farm livestock which will be crucial as farming adapts to changing climatic and economic conditions. Groundbreaking scientific research in Scotland is currently underway using these rare breeds for their unique genetic material. As a country we are in the forefront of research into farm livestock, forever increasing and sharing our knowledge with the world. At Palacerigg, the public, including many children, are able to see these animals and understand their importance to the future of Scottish farming. Palacerigg is of vital importance in the education of the young - the scientists of the future. Palacerigg is also important as the only public place in Scotland where these animals can be seen, where scientists can envision how to use their genetic material and farmers, present and future, can see for themselves the potential in these breeds for improving and modifying their commercial stock to adapt to changing needs.
To date, Palacerigg has done sterling work in the preservation and conservation of our rare breeds. Its importance to Scotland is too great for it to be reduced to a figure in a list of possible budget cuts of one local council, demolished with little consideration of its national importance. Please intervene with North Lanarkshire Council with your support to ensure the continuing existence of Palacerigg Rare Breeds Centre.
