9 replies to this topic

[Eve]

I have 4 lambs, born end of April, taken on as cades a couple of days old...
Things have gone well, they've thrived and are now rather fat!
My problem, and I fear it's a big one, is I've managed to dig myself a hole...
When we took the lambs on it was before we had purchased our land, but we were in the process of buying it, therefore had no cph number. My neighbour agreed for us to use hers, but after we got them they decided against it.
So I now have 4 very tame lambs, a farm (well ok, mostly a field!), a cph number, ear tags I haven't put on and paperwork that I never filled out or posted when we collect the lambs and I don't know what to do?!😬
I have 3 ideas;
1) Phone cph people and plead ignorance, apologise profusely and get them registered... But don't want to get farmer or myself in trouble and as I've never had livestock before I don't know how it works.
2) Speak to the same or another local sheep farmer, ask for help as I now would also like to buy 4 in-lamb ewes.
3) Send lambs off to farmer for the freezer and start again... Not my favoured option as the 3 ewes I'd like to breed from next year and they are super tame, so I'm hoping they'll make a good lead for any new additions...
Does anyone have any advice on which route (or another route) I should take? Xx

[j and H]

how could the neighbour decide against it…the farmer who sold them to you would have needed the number to complete the movement licence, the sheep then would have had to of gone on his/her land

 

you really need to make contact with the RPA and sort this, or you will dig a bigger hole..best be honest up front..its always easier to deal with the truth,

you may get a bollocking, but it will get sorted, lies will only make matters worse….

 

lesson…..make sure everything is in place 1st

[shepie]

Home kill / big freezer / start again
Yum yum

[Eve]

Hubbie favours the big freezer option, I'd like to hang on to at least the ewes, but it's looking less likely as I really don't want to start our business with a black mark!
Although we jumped the gun with getting the lambs before we had land I thought I had covered all legal bases, with my neighbours help. I didn't plan on them changing their minds! The farmer gave us the paperwork to fill out with my neighbours cph number (I couldn't get reception to make a phone call to get the number on the farm), and ear tags to put on when the were older... I was aware this was bending the rules, which is why I am worried about declaring them now, I don't want to get the farmer in trouble.
On a separate note, I'm getting my first pigs next week... I'm giving the breeder my details and cph number, do I have to do anything else?
Xx

[j and H]

yep..you will need to register with these …. http://www.eaml2.org.uk/ami/home.eb

register 1st…they are very helpful…. then when you get the pigs home. you can then inform them…its all part of the movement licence ..it free

[Eve]

Thanks

[shepie]

Are you registered with a vet ?
Do you have a herd number for pigs ?
A flock number for sheep ?
Best to phone defra and sort out what you need first it won't take long
Then get tags and pliers for them all so you don't get stuck when selling

[Eve]

Yep, all registered with a vets, have a herd number for both pigs and cows (cows was a mistake when trying to get pig number!) and have flock number..
Got tags for the sheep and am currently talking to the farmer who sold them to us, fingers crossed I'll have everything sorted soon (or a very full freezer!).
Thanks for all your help. Do you have any recommendations for types of tags/tagger?
We've batterned down the hatches tonight as more winds expected, was really worried about our chook houses in the winds at the weekend, but thought our almost finished concrete storage garage was safe, we were wrong! (Coops were fine though!) xx

[elegantstorm]

Tag them, record them in your movement book coming onto the holding, don't send paperwork off.  They've got bigger fish to worry about.  So you forgot to send the paperwork off at the time or it got lost in post.  If they visit you they'll want to see your movement books so as long as they're recorded in there not likely to look further.  When checking they tend to have a printout of registered moves and will check some at random confirming those on their list are on yours not the other way around.  http://www.castlemak...ecords-44-c.asp You also need a medicine book.

Bare in mind cades haven't been mothered themselves so don't always make good mothers.

[Eve]

Many thanks, all sorted now!
The ewes will arrive on our land with some more in-lambs ewes we are purchasing in the next couple of weeks and Bob will be in our freezer by Christmas!
I have all record books neatly in a pile ready to be used, it was quite exciting putting in the first entry (arrival of our pigs)!
I'd considered the fact that the Cade ewes might not be great mothers, but they'll watch next years ewes and I'll let them have a go, if not they'll be freezer fodder!
Xx