[SallyintNorth]

There will be lots of schemes where poor examples can be found.  It won't always mean that the entire scheme is worthless.  If no-one ever did anything that was anything other than 100% effective 100% of the time ... guess how much would get done?  Square root of b* all, is how much.

[Lesley Silvester]

Robert, you've got me worried now.  When my goat died in March I had her collected but I did nothing about notifying anyone (except my friends on here).  Now wondering if I should have done anything official.

[robert waddell]

record it in the movement book and keep the paper work you received when it was collected

[Bionic]

Animal health refused to give me a flock number until after I'd bought the sheep, then they said to use the same as the goats,  that makes real sense, all they want to do is cover their arses with movement sheets. why can't the authorities all get covered with the same umberella, Trading standards, Defra, Animal health. they might even share info and plug some of the loopholes.

Tizaala,
AH have told me too that I can only get my sheep flock number once I have bought the sheep and they arrive on my land. For pigs I had to have the herd number before I bought them. It would be so much simpler if one system was followed for all.
As for Roberts original thread, we all have to start somewhere. I am a complete novice but have read books, been on courses etc before getting my animals. None of this properly prepares you for the hands on experience when you get your own and much of it is learning on the hoof, so to speak. Having said that I would hate my animals to suffer from my ignorance so am starting small (actually only have enough land for small which is probably a good thing) so that I can give them more individual attention.
Sally

[Fleecewife]

Animal health refused to give me a flock number until after I'd bought the sheep, then they said to use the same as the goats,  that makes real sense, all they want to do is cover their arses with movement sheets.

But that's the way it works - you have your herd/flock number for animals, then the suffix eg /01 shows which animals you keep.  It would be utter chaos if you had a different herd/flock mark for each species 

[HelenVF]

I think I might be one to jump into things.  However, in my defense, I do read up about care etc and do make sure I have people around me who I can ask, in person.  I am started to get a bit worried about asking stupid questions on here now.

Helen

[Rosemary]

I think I might be one to jump into things.  However, in my defense, I do read up about care etc and do make sure I have people around me who I can ask, in person.  I am started to get a bit worried about asking stupid questions on here now.

Helen

It's been said before - the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. The ethos on TAS has always been to be helpful and supportive and not scare folk off from asking. We're all learning - even the most experienced of us, so please don't stop asking questions.

[Womble]

Some good points made (particularly re children  ).
 
I have to say, when we registered for our CPH number, no guidance was provided at all. I now also get various annual census type forms to fill in, which are firstly very confusing, and secondly not particularly relevant to what we’re doing here.

Now, I haven’t got a load of animals running round that I don’t know how to care for – that would just be cruel. However, I suppose there’s now nothing to stop me from doing that if I wanted to!
 

[robert waddell]

yes rosemary i agree with what you wrote
the day you stop learning is the day you should give it up 

[Fowgill Farm]

Robert raises a good topic and i have to confess that when i sell weaners i interrogate prospective owners like the gestapo and if i don't like the answers they give or the dumb questions they ask me they don't get any weaners. My attitude has cost me some sales but thats my ethics. Lots of people do their homework a lot don't , had a women this week who OH has ben doing some building work for, oh i'd like a couple of pigs says she so OH gets me to call her for a chat, then when i mentioned the hardest part was sending them to the butchers she went very quiet thanked me for my time and has never mentioned them again!  People have these whims and just don't think things thro which is why i sometimes get very cross on the piggy forum and why i wrote the articles for the GOS website, to try to get people to think about what they're taking on.
Mandy

[suziequeue]

As for Roberts original thread, we all have to start somewhere. I am a complete novice but have read books, been on courses etc before getting my animals. None of this properly prepares you for the hands on experience when you get your own and much of it is learning on the hoof, so to speak.

It's been said before - the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. The ethos on TAS has always been to be helpful and supportive and not scare folk off from asking. We're all learning - even the most experienced of us, so please don't stop asking questions.

I completely agree. That's what's so great about this forum. You can ask a question and not feel judged.
 
This thread worries me as I feel that judgements are being made about people who have the courage to reveal their ignorance by asking a question.

[robert waddell]

Suzie the point of the post is you apply for your cph number and then left on your own  with all the legal obligations that animals entail
at one time you could apply for a driving license and there you go happy motoring  look at the restrictions before you can set foot in the driving seat (this has the makings of another thread) and the legal obligations that you take on in doing so

[Bionic]

Robert,
I do agree about applying for a CPH and then being left on your own. I know I haven't been alone in asking which is the best book/website and asking other TAS'ers for help and advice.
If the they could organise themselves in such a way as to send out information packs, links, places to go to for advice it would be a real help to us newbies. I guess its a bit like taking your horse to water, you can't make him drink, not everyone would necessarily read the information pack but if they were serious about it, it would certainly be a good start.
Sally

[goosepimple]

DEFRA should be able to turn up on your doorstep at any day and check out your husbandry.  There's too many people over-producing without thinking about the consequences, buying in livestock without any prior knowledge of its requierements and with a lack of funding to help the animal via professional help if something goes wrong.  Duty of care should be paramount to all those with livestock, its a responsibility and if you don't have the time then sell your stock on. 
 
I dread to think about what's happening out there - DIY castrations, wrongly killing etc, animal cruelty at it's worst.

[HelenVF]

I will admit that when I rang about my cph number, I was just asked for a postcode and nothing else.  They don't know how much land we have at all.  I thought it was incredibly easy to do, almost too easy. 

Helen