Farmers and smallholders have seen a huge increase in the number of dead sheep and lambs - even before the recent heavy snow in Scotland and Wales.

The first three months of 2013 have seen a 15.5% increase in "fallen stock" compared with the previous year.  Similar statistics for cattle show a 6% increase.

The figures have been compiled by the National Fallen Stock Company.

"Fallen stock collectors working under the National Fallen Stock Company’s scheme are making extensive use of the “Ten+” and Special Services category," says the company. " This effectively offers farmers bulk discounts off normal collection prices, with one collector in a hardship area known to be offering discounts of 20%, and another negotiating on a case-by-case basis. Other collectors are offering to send bulkers direct to the worst affected farms to pick-up fallen stock.

"This data includes the category “container / bag of lambs” and “unweighed skip, sheep”, which do not identify how many animals are inside. Consequently these figures are the minimum.

"The current statistics will largely exclude losses from the most badly hit regions, as the snow will still be masking dead animals. The data will be revised upwards as more data is received from collectors."

NFSCo chairman Michael Seals paid credit to the collectors working on behalf of the scheme in difficult conditions, and said his Board is discussing ways to help farmers in hardship regions. He urged farmers to use NFSCo scheme collectors where possible to enable the most accurate figures on losses to be collated, and in order to put their businesses in the best position to receive hardship payments in light of already announced or potential Government compensation packages.