The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: andywalt on August 31, 2010, 10:27:58 pm

Title: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: andywalt on August 31, 2010, 10:27:58 pm
Hi all


well Im learning everyday but today I have learned after some long discussions with the Animal health Authority that the holding number must be in my name(the owner of the sheep) and not in the land owners name, also must have a flock number even if I only have store lambs for a few months !

After a few comments from members here I phoned the AHO and Im so pleased I have.....

I have had to re apply for my own personal holding number for the area where my lambs are grazing, and applied for a flock number to get my store lambs to the abattoir, (local sheppard said i only need a holding number)

after my store lambs have gone at the end of this month I will start my own flock (already purchased) so I knew I had to get my flock number anyway but I think I have learned that I should have spoken to the authorites first instead of taking someones word as gospel.

I am slowly getting to speed with the regulations and help from here has been very good. so glad I found out this now and not in 4 weeks when ive booked into the abottair.

any comments appreciated.
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: Cobra on September 01, 2010, 12:26:06 am
I have applied for my Holding number for my new rented land and yes your comment on You needing one is absolutely correct.

Are you in England? as Scotland is slightly different I believe?

I was told by Defra the following: My Holding number had to be obtained through the RPA (Rural Payments Agency) which has been done and I'm waiting for the number. Aditionaly; Someone in the NFU told me this afternoon "Good luck with that; some are taking months to come through at the moment".  ::) ??? Anyone heard of delays ?

Once the holding number is received by you, you can put animals on to that land and not before. Current waiting time for holding numbers are 15 days,

Flock or Herd numbers can only be applied for when you are in receipt of your holding number as it is required to apply for the Herd or Flock number.
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: shetlandpaul on September 01, 2010, 11:30:46 am
samr system just diffrent names.
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 01, 2010, 03:07:40 pm
got your licence to transport livestock?
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: Cobra on September 01, 2010, 05:30:19 pm
got your licence to transport livestock?

Feel free to alaborate ? As far as i was aware the movement document covered this as the details of transportations i.e. dates, times of traval, time in trailer etc all have to be entered on that form of which a copy is forwarded to the relavent dept. Example: When buying from market that form  origonates there and copies carry with the stock to its destination. Is there another seperate licence?
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: lachlanandmarcus on September 01, 2010, 06:06:56 pm
you only need a licence if transporting in connection with an 'economic activity' (ie somewhere along the line you have a livestock business and /or are flogging the meat). And then only when over a certain no of miles. At least thats what Ive been advised by officialdom.
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: novicesmallholder on September 01, 2010, 06:55:06 pm
I have just picked up my new sheep and the seller (experienced breeder) said you need a transport license if you are to transport them over 60km. My journey was 59.5km!!
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: bib on September 01, 2010, 09:37:18 pm
Hi Folks
I took the horse trailer about 100 miles to buy some sheep.  Once they were loaded we were doing the samu form and .... the seller wouldnt let me take them away because \i didnt have a permit!  Have since had an email from animal welfare at scottish exec describing the legislation and saying that in their opinion, breeders of rare breed sheep dont come under the regs.  Unless it's part of a commercial operation, or it is done for the purpose of financial gain.  The seller however had been stopped on his way home from oban sale, and subsequently received a recorded delivery 'first & final' type warning letter from the court, and had had to pay up and do the tests or nvqs or whatever is required.  He has a 'normal' day job, like me, and does some rare breed sheep on their holding. 
So who's right?
I've sent him a copy of the scot exec email , and he's going to check with animal welfare people himself to get another opinion.
Anyone else heard any news on this transport permit thing?
Fortunately we had a few sheep to pick up in Huntly on the way home, so it wasnt a completely wasted journey!

Rhona
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: andywalt on September 01, 2010, 10:00:46 pm
Its called a ALM 1  ( animal movement licence ) which much be completed for every journey off of your holding, once a jouney has taken place the animals must stay static for 6 days before they can be moved again, if they are moved again, another completion of another AML 1 and one copy retained by yourself, one retained by transport, other copy sent to trading standards. on the form your holding number and flock number must be complete along with all details, ear tags, journey time ect ect.

andy




Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 01, 2010, 10:05:56 pm
i think its for commercial and showing its just a competancy cert and you need to carry it with you 100% time while travling with livestock same with pigs cattle etc if your selling meat to friends and family or wool to the marketing board is classed as a commercial basis i think  im not to sure but at market a few people i know of have been cought out and some have been doing it for decades aswell il see if i can find out more for it  a AML 1 is not the only thing you need either  you need to get a card type licence  it only costs like £80 i think that form your on about andy is the one for defra is it? the one the police check is that and also this competancy licence lasts about 5 yrs i think you do a test on a screen  questions like how long you allowed to travel with certain animals what is the law  etc etc
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: andywalt on September 01, 2010, 10:26:19 pm
wow Daddymatty

a licence to carry livestock as well?  my god!! where will it end, I actually have a flooring business and we are suppose to have a licence to carry rubbish, but no one has got one.....

I want to get it all right but sometimes you do get frustrated with all the red tape and nothing is straight forward.



andy
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: andywalt on September 01, 2010, 10:30:54 pm
daddy matty where r you based?
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 01, 2010, 10:43:45 pm
wiltshire you?  my dad took the test few yrs back at a friends farm so i know it exists but there is multiple ones  like his does sheep and pigs  but there one for sheep pigs. cattle.. cattle and pigs etc its all multiple choice  i was going to do it but fell ill on test day so backed out
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: andywalt on September 01, 2010, 10:49:02 pm
I am in kent, any other sheppard that moves his sheep in his vehicle actually has this vehicle sheep  licence ? ( not a AML 1 )


 ???
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 01, 2010, 10:57:58 pm
found a college doing a course
http://www.hotcourses.com/uk-courses/Transport-of-Livestock-Short-Journey-Certificate-of-Competence-NPTC-courses/page_pls_user_course_details/16180339/0/w/29084156/page.htm
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: andywalt on September 01, 2010, 11:06:34 pm
matt

thats very resourceful, im impressed, i cant even imagine that i will take that for the odd short journey to the abattoir, how many sheep do you manage? is it a full time thing for you or part time?
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: daddymatty82 on September 01, 2010, 11:17:56 pm
only a hobby got 50 sheep  furthest  we took the sheep was bath and west and got inspected last. got the slaughterhouse about an hour away 20 miles so only short journeys but like all authority's they like to catch you out on anything and everything they like to have purges now and again
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: lachlanandmarcus on September 02, 2010, 11:40:29 pm
If there is no economic activity involved ie you neither sell sheep nor meat for ££ then you do NOT need a licence whatever jobsworths with a clipboard say. The rules are quite clear. Of course if you do sell either, you do need the licence.

Heres a good guide by the Humane Slaughter assoc. with a flowchart (page 3)
http://www.hsa.org.uk/Resources/Publications/Technical%20Notes/transport%20of%20farm%20animals%20and%20horses.pdf

You always need to fill in a movement doc and if going to abbatoir, a Food chain form. And any 'on' movements trigger a standstill period.
Title: Re: holding number and flock number, Animal Health Authority
Post by: andywalt on September 03, 2010, 08:44:56 am
thats really helpful thanks, where do I get the food chain form from? is that to declare no medicines etc?     


andy