Sir, – It is noteworthy that the French and Hungarian’s commissioners in Brussels stated that, despite rising market demand for sheep meat, EID for sheep had to be made as expensive as possible for sheep farmers.

The worst affected sheep producers would be hill farmers and crofters who may be forced to give up sheep production. It would appear that the rules of EID are deliberately designed to achieve sheep clearance in the Highlands and Islands.

Hill farmers and crofters will never reconcile numbers of sheep at each gathering, when ewes die in open hill drains and graze on sea cliffs.

All are expressing grave concerns about large numbers of lambs, new-born and established, being taken by sea eagles and scavenging ravens feeding on remains of lambs. One crofter has reported one third of his flock being decimated by 35 sea eagles who also predate on seagulls and other smaller birds.