The farmers have welcomed calls from Scotland's agriculture minister for government aid to cope with the current crisis facing the industry throughout the UK.

But they have warned that if Westminster fails to respond, they could take their protests to the streets.

The BBC's Nick Jones: "Nick Brown now faces the reality of devolution"

The threat follows comments by farming minister Ross Finnie, a Liberal Democrat minister in Scotland's coalition administration with Labour, that he was determined to secure cash for a cull of ewes.

His calls has put pressure on Agriculture Minister Nick Brown and has been seen as evidence of a growing split between the newly-devolved Scottish Executive and Westminster.

Jim Walker, President of the Scottish National Farmers Union, said if Scottish ministers were not prepared to help the industry then earlier promises on help would be seen as "completely empty".

He continued: "I would not be a bit surprised if Scottish farmers are a lot more militant than they have been in the past."

Finnie: "No closed doors"

Earlier, in an interview for BBC One's Countryfile Mr Finnie said: "What we are trying to see is if there is any way of actually producing a scheme that would take these cast ewes off farmers and have them disposed of humanely.

"It has got a price tag to it, it is not an easy one, but I have closed no doors and I am still determined over the next two weeks that we will pursue that."

Mr Finnie will meet Mr Brown and his Welsh counterpart Christine Gwyther on 8 September when he is expected to press for funding from the government.

Sheep farmers are facing ruin with prices at a record low.

BBC Scotland's Christine Jardine reports on the crisis

But Mr Brown has ruled out cash aid and farmers facing plummeting lamb prices were furious at his suggestions that they were partly to blame for the crisis by oversupplying the market.

They said the damage had been caused by the BSE crisis, new health regulations and the strength of sterling.

The Conservatives claimed thousands of farms would be forced to close, causing millions of animals to suffer and making consumers more dependent on imports, if Mr Brown did not change his mind and launch a survival plan.

Tory Party chairman Michael Ancram urged the Government to bolster the ailing sheep market by taking action against imports from abroad.

And Liberal Democrat chief whip Paul Tyler wrote to Tony Blair and the Conservatives appealing for a cross-party initiative.