The last Royal Decree-Law 10/2020, published on March 29, reconfirms the shearing of sheep as essential work. This activity was already contemplated in the first Royal Decree-law, published on March 14, which declared a state of alarm and the exceptions that regulated the movement to places of work.
The main reason why sheep is allowed to be sheared is to guarantee, first of all, the welfare of the animals and, therefore, their health care by preparing the livestock for the arrival of summer and the rise of temperatures. A work that guarantees reducing thermal stress, the risk of proliferation of diseases caused by ectoparasites, as well as carrying out antiparasitic, podiatric treatments and individualized health examinations.
On the other hand, INTEROVIC has called on the Government of Spain to facilitate the entry of foreign personnel specialized in shearing work, since if this does not happen it is expected that 60% of the sheep in all of Spain could be left without shearing . According to the president of the Interprofessional, Raúl Muñiz, “it could provoke important sanitary alterations on the Spanish cattle herd and the decrease in the welfare of the animals”.
Photography: Jonathan Tajes Olgos (Ovifoto 2017), title “Motila”.
