The Poultry Keeper

Dusty · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 935 Location: St. Asaph

Hi guys, I could do with an idiots guide to what is required in keeping sheep.

No i'm not intending to get any it's just I need the information to help me in work.

So if someone could assist from birth of or acquisition of to selling etc.

EAr tags / markings / paperwork etc

i'd be really appreciative.

thank you

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7370 Location: isle of lewis

all of them concerning what you can or cannot do including waste laws ect or just a few ,bb can help ,but there could be pages if it's everything and is it on where you live or general ,it does make a difference, they are slightly different although coming from the eu ,different countries do different things Wink

Dusty · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 935 Location: St. Asaph

What a night mare for sheep keepers. Rolling Eyes

OK, an idiots guide to - I go to buy some sheep at a local sale, what would I need to look out for in terms of ear tagging etc, what would I need to take with me (apart from lots of dosh!!) to purchase them / transport them and who do I need to notify I have them/ what do I need to do to make them personal to me thereafter.

If I then take them to a sale, what would I have to do to comply?

What do the ear tags tell you, what about ear markings?

Phew, if anyone can assist I'd really appreciate it.

I've spoken to a few farmers but they're a bit vague with things!! Wink

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1724 Location: Clawddnewydd

OK, here goes...........

1. Register holding with DEFRA and Animal Health to get flock number and County Parish Holding number (CPH number)
2. Tell DEFRA and Animal Health who your large animal vet is going to be
3. All sheep born after 1st Jan 2008 (or there abouts Embarassed

) and intended for breeding need to be double tagged with identical ear tags, one per ear. Those intended for slaughter before they are 1 year old only need one tag for identification purposes. All sheep born pre Jan 1st 2008 can remain tagged with one tag even if intended for breeding. The tags need to have your unique UK herd/flock number on one side and an individual identifying number on the other side eg UK 123456 on one part with 789 on the other. Clear? Good Wink

4. Keep lots of records!!
a) Medicine book to record what drug is given to which animal, when, how much and by whom and the batch number and expiry date of said drug.
b) Movement records to record which animal(s) has/have moved off or on to your holding (tag numbers, either individual if for show/isolation units or just the flock number if going to a market/tack/sale) where they came from (including the vendors/owners CPH number), who transported them, how long it took them, any rests for food and water to be recorded, when the vehicle used for transport was last cleansed and disinfected and where, contact phone numbers of the vendor, purchaser (or owner and landlord if movement is to rented grazing for example), haulier; time first animal loaded, time journey started and time last animal unloaded, estimated length of journey
c) Flock records (which can include medicine book and movements if you wish though its far easier to keep them separate) This needs to be a running total of all sheep on your property on Jan 1st EVERY year. It must include sheep deaths (and cause of death, where and how sheep was disposed of) births, ewe lambs moving from being lambs to becoming shearlings, tagging records ie when sheep are tagged, numbers recorded in book, if sheep lose a tag then a new replacement tag must be fitted and a record kept as to whether it is a completely different tag number (cross reference to lost tag) or an identical replacement tag
d) Animal waste products eg fallen stock, muck storage and removal, feed storage, bedding storage, wool, facilities for dirty water storage (if required), empty vaccination bottles/drug bottles, used needles and syringes and safe storage/disposal of such
5. Animal transport certificate(s) - there are two types and both are required for you to legally transport livestock. One you get from the State Veterinary Service and is valid for 5 years and the other, you have to take a test for, either written and/or practical dependent on whether you are transporting livestock under 8 hours or over 8 hrs. If you are transporting your own animals in your own vehicle less than 65kms, you dont need to take a test (unless at some point you will be taking them more than 65kms Wink

)
6. Electronic Identification...... due to come into force next year....dont get me started!!! Twisted Evil

etc etc etc Shocked

this is just the tip of a very large iceberg Dusty......... What do you need to know for? Very Happy

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7370 Location: isle of lewis

i just typed loads out and lost it Crying or Very sad

first holding number
a site called magic helps with this
the tagging regs if i was you i'd just look out for 2 taggs ;although sheep and goats born before 2008 only need one ,we'll suppose that you only live five miles away not over the 40 as that changes things (you will need a permit number and have to sit a course ,)
at home you will have a medicine book, a visitors book and a herd book for movements ect ,a lockable cupboard for medicines
if you passed you test after a certain date then you will have to pass a trailer towing test
http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/id-move/sheep-goats/doubletag-qanda.htm for tagging info
samu will be informed if buying from a mart - scotland
disinfecting the trailer is also covered ,
here going to a mart water proof trousers must be wear so disinfectant can be used .or it was going to be the ruling i'm not sure if it was brought in or not Rolling Eyes

hope that helps the oppersite way around the other way
bb i'll have forgotten something nonie normally reminds me she has dvd's on this Wink

Dusty · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 935 Location: St. Asaph

BB have pm'd you. Thank you so much for taking the time to do this, it's really helpful.

Dusty · Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 935 Location: St. Asaph

Milkmaid, thank you so much.
The link is excellent.

It's unbelievable what smallholders and farmers have to do to keep livestock.

Bet it's more trouble than it's worth sometimes.

bronskibeat · Joined: 09 Sep 2007 Posts: 1724 Location: Clawddnewydd

Ooooh yes! Rolling Eyes

MM, I remembered the lockable meds cabinet, then got carried away and forgot to include it after I'd remembered sharps etc Rolling Eyes

Lambs born after Jan 1st 2008 destined for slaughter before they get to a year old dont need double tagging down here in England and Wales, not sure about up with you though Very Happy

Waterproofs are recommended for all marts and shows etc but I've never seen anyone using them unless its to wash out their vehicle at the mart Wink

Disinfectant mats are treated with equal scorn, especially by Joe Public and as for the signs that say "please wash your hands after touching the animals" .........

Red tape is a complete nightmare, especially when the regs are so utterly ridiculous as to have been thought up on a Friday afternoon by some snotty teenager with no outside experience who then b****** off early for a long weekend leaving us to scratch our heads in bemusement Evil or Very Mad

Take for example when BTV was found in 2 separate herds in Cheshire through pre movement blood testing last year. We all knew on the Friday afternoon (National TV news) but by Monday morning, DEFRA still werent aware that we should all be on lock down until it was sorted out. Oh no, they had no idea that there were 2 cases ("we dont work at weekends") and, (and I quote) "until the DEFRA website has been updated later this afternoon, all movements can continue as normal until further notice" Shocked

Blimmin good job they werent F&M outbreaks then wasnt it???? idiots! Twisted Evil

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7370 Location: isle of lewis

no same rules just talking to a few people who said it's worth putting in 2 less hassle for people who buy ewes from the mart if they keep them ,
the main thing that i found is you sort it out get it right in your own mind and the same person ,is bored in the eu on a fri afternoon and changes them
Rolling Eyes

without telling anyone Rolling Eyes