The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: ladyK on July 01, 2014, 08:46:19 pm
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I'm using the DEFRA spreadsheet holding register for my flock of sheep - and I can't find where to record births.
Section 3 says 'Date of Identification and Births' but the page is set out to record tagging details really, there is only is one column space to record a date - that of tagging. So if I don't tag until 9 months does that mean I don't have to record the births anywhere else until that time?
Similar question on the medicine book records: the columns on the template ask for date and details of purchase & administration of any meds - on the holding. So what about recording medicines administered by the vet, either by the vet visiting the farm or at the vet's office? Presumably the medicine record is there to ensure withdrawal times etc are observed correctly, so would it not be necessary to cross reference anything administered by a vet to be complete? Or do I have to also include what the vet may have administered (but then vets do not seem to be supplying enough details to complete the form).
Neither does quite make sense to me, but maybe I'm missing something?
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I asked the vets to do a print out of all treatments, and I've put that in the book x
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yes medicines administered or supplied by your vet should be entered in the medicine book. Either ask for it to be completed at the time or most practices supply all the batch numbers etc on the invoice. In theory this should be given at the time using eg a duplicate book but invariably its pouring with rain, the pen doesn't work etc etc. I usually text it to the client while on farm for them to enter that day and send it out on the invoice at the end of the month.
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I just keep the piece of paper the vet gives me, on the basis that the need to trace is either to ensure the animal is outside vetmed withdrawal periods when it goes to slaughter or because there's a faulty batch of etmed out there. You could create a whole new (and very time consuming and boring) job for yourself otherwise.
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Thank you all for the replies.
I guess I should chase up my vets on that then! (they administered meds to my animals for the first time recently so I wasn't sure about the correct procedure - they didn't mention anything at all).
Any advice anyone on how to enter births correctly on the holding register?
Thank you in advance.
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I don't know what the spreadsheet looks like, but it sounds a pain! We tag at birth now so avoids the problem, but I used to use spreadsheets I had made based on the paper books you could get from the Scottish Government, where births would be recorded on the holding register, and then there was a separate 'ecord of first identification' sheet for tagging. Doesn't really help you, though.
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You can download the government guide from this (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-keepers-in-england-rules-for-identifying-sheep-and-goats) page.
But the official records record the date of identification, so no they do not have somewhere for you to record an unidentified animal.
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Thanks, I've read the guidance, which is all about tagging really.
It just confuses me that the rules & templates all record tagging only (the DEFRA spreadsheet is the same format as their book type registers, the pages appear to be the same)
If I have a lamb born in May and tag it at the required latest age of 9 months it could in theory go unrecorded in the inventory of 1st January ???
I suppose rules are not there to make sense.
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No you would carry them over I do believe into the same count as adult ewes when it comes to the January inventory. Regardless of technical age.
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The record is a record of identified animals.
If you want to keep records of unidentified animals you can keep your own records separately.
The 1st Dec inventory is a head count not a tag count. And could and does include untagged, therefore "unidentified", animals.
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Thanks Sally, this makes sense to me now :)