According to the Scottish Meat Wholesalers Association (SAMW), beef support program payments should be increased to £ 250 for each calf produced.

This appeal is one of four key policy issues contained in a developed strategy to reverse the decline in livestock in Scotland.

The strategy, which calls on the government to take immediate targeted action to end the reduction in livestock, was jointly developed by the National Union of Farmers of Scotland, the Scottish Beef Association and the National Sheep Association of Scotland.

The strategy also contains three other requirements: updating the support scheme for high mountain sheep; expanding groups of producers in all sectors of livestock farming and simplifying the scheme for increasing the efficiency of beef.

In anticipation of the Royal Highland Show next week, SAMW President Andy McGowan said: “Recent data shows that calves are down another 2%, and if we wait for Brexit to end and the transition, we’ll lose another 15% of our livestock.” .

A representative of the Scottish government said: “The proposals put forward by SAMW, like the proposals of the National Union of Farmers of Scotland and other organizations, deserve very serious consideration. “In the near future we will create a group that will consider these proposals and will liaise with all relevant stakeholders.”