The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: plumseverywhere on April 24, 2010, 08:24:55 am
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Hello :)
these 'ere 4 goats... when I bought them, none were ear tagged. mum is tattooe'd adn I have a bag with tags in because the former owner couldtn' bear to have them pierced. she had them from when the kids were a few weeks old - 8 or so - so that perhaps means that both former owners didnt' tag them?
Am I right in thinking that I need to get them tagged asap as a legal requirement? the vet will come and do it, have already found a farming vet at our local domestic practise.
will it be incredibly distressing now that they are 7 months old? what can I do to prepare them (and me!!) for it.
also, i have a piece of paperwork here for the nanny from the BGS. it is a transfer document saying that mum was sold by one lady to another in 2007 but the woman I bought her from is not listed. obviously I want my goats listed in my name but is that going to be an issue if the person I bought from is not on there? we have of course completed defra forms for transfer and movement etc but this concerns me. I have also emailed the BGS but as its saturday will probably have a lengthy wait for a reply..
I knew the physical side of goat keeping/milking would be hard and I was ready for it (and am enjoying it) but the paperwork is leaving me befuddled!!
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Hi Plums,
The female is registered with the BGS, but it sounds like she wasn't transferred into the ownership of the person who had her before you. I think the BGS would be happy enough to transfer her into your name, but you would need to wait on hearing back from them. I know Jane is a great new addition as BGS secretary, but given she has livestock of her own, including helping on the farm, I can't see her managing to work at the weekends as well!
Regarding the ear tags, there is no reason why you can't tag them now, and yes it is a legal requirement. Legally, the tags should have been put in before they left the old property. If the nanny is 5 she doesn't need an eartag, the tattoo is sufficient.
There isn't any great point is registering castrated males, however if the Saanen cross if female, you could apply to the BGS to register her, even if you don't know who her parents are. She would need to be registered in the BGS "Identification Register" which basically just says she exists. But then you can register her kids if or when she has any, and gradually breed them up into the Herd book.
Beth
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Thanks Beth (again!! you are brill!!)
I will wait to hear from Jane at the BGS _ I imagined that she would be a busy lady if my small herd is anything to go by!
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Whilst circulating our own survey into the serious welfare effects of ear tagging sheep and goats not intended for the food chain, I have come across a government consultation on alternative means of identifying sheep and goats, which will be of interest to anyone who has experienced the horrific injuries and suffering that can be caused by ear tagging. Since ear tagging was introduced it has been seen to be unnecessary mutilation by keepers of animals such as rare breed sheep, Pygmy goats and diary animals.
No one I have spoken to has been informed of the consultation which closes on the 20th[/size]September 2013, Please show your support by visiting the links below and help circulate this information amongst like minded people. It may well be possible to change the way we identify our pets and livestock and end the unnecessary discomfort tags have caused but not without supporters.
[/size]please use the links below to access the governments consultation information and survey and our own survey into the welfare implications of ear tagging which will provide evidence to support a change in identification regulations.
Best Wishes
Juilie Westlake
1)
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/sheep-goats-and-deer-electronic-movement-reporting-and-identification
2)
www.tagsinsmallears.co.uk
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There isn't any great point is registering castrated males, however if the Saanen cross if female, you could apply to the BGS to register her, even if you don't know who her parents are. She would need to be registered in the BGS "Identification Register" which basically just says she exists. But then you can register her kids if or when she has any, and gradually breed them up into the Herd book.
Beth
Can I do that with mine too Beth ? I know the GG isn't registered (Anke checked for me) so I doubt the other one is - but if I could 'breed up' that would be good :thumbsup:
I'll add checking the BGS website to my 'to do ' list ;)
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Yes you ca do that too Karen. I didn't find anything for your British Alpine type either to indicate she has been registered, but if you get those two done, you can start breeding up any kids they have.
You can also get them upgraded from the identification register if they gain a * (star) award at a BGS recognised show.....
Will check out the link above contraflow, looks really interesting....
Beth
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You can also get them upgraded from the identification register if they gain a * (star) award at a BGS recognised show.....
Beth
Is the Smallholder Festival a BGS recognised show ?
They're both soooooo pretty (to me, a completely biased owner, you understand ;)) oooft, have I got enough time to get them all tested and registered ahead of time I wonder :thinking:
Thanks mrs :-* Are you looking for piggies btw ?
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Will check out the link above contraflow, looks really interesting....
Beth
The link doesn't work?
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I was told by another goat keeper, it was too late to register my five year old. I bred her and she has a brilliant pedigree (and apparently is a good example of a pure Sanaan) but I didn't get round to registering her, despite registering a her name. I would love to register her now so that her kids could be registered, mainly so I could get a decent price for any I decided to sell.
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I was told by another goat keeper, it was too late to register my five year old. I bred her and she has a brilliant pedigree (and apparently is a good example of a pure Sanaan) but I didn't get round to registering her, despite registering a her name. I would love to register her now so that her kids could be registered, mainly so I could get a decent price for any I decided to sell.
I think the age limit (2 years?) applies for the pure breed and HB categories, but not the identification register. But it's too late now to check the BGS website, sorry. No yawning emoticn here...
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I was told by another goat keeper, it was too late to register my five year old. I bred her and she has a brilliant pedigree (and apparently is a good example of a pure Sanaan) but I didn't get round to registering her, despite registering a her name. I would love to register her now so that her kids could be registered, mainly so I could get a decent price for any I decided to sell.
I think this was mentioned this week on goaty friends? You cant register her as Saanen now, as she is to old. She can be registered though the identification register, but not in her pure bred section. As the Saanen section is closed, you can't even breed her kids up to go into the Saanen section- the most you could do would be to breed up her offspring (through a few generations) to being British Saanen.
Beth
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Serves me right for not getting my act together, I suppose. I'm annoyed with myself especially as I went to the expense of getting a herd name registered.
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We also had the problem of animals coming without ear tags, incorrect transfer forms and the previous owner not registering the lambs we bought, i asked questions of the animal health officer who came out to visit us, very nice and helpful, but had the animals to tag (tags seem to large), the ewes seemed completely unaffected by the tagging after the first day, bit like having your ear pierced, i got a local farmer to do it as i couldn't and the vets here charge silly money.
I have registered my views on the consultation document and commented that there was no question asking if implant alone should be allowed, hence questionnaire biased towards ear tagging.
K
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wow! reading my OP back is so weird! seems like ages ago (well I guess it is) I've learnt so much in the past 3 years, so many things I'd never do again. We lost 2 of the goats I refer to in the post due to poor vaccination/worming procedure prior to my purchase
I've tagged oodles of goats and sheep since and neither they or I really flinch (shoudl have done my daughters ears instead of paying a small fortune for a beautician ;D )
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I always dip the point in Aloe Vera or a Vet equivelent bfore putting the tags in,it stops infection and speeds healing :)
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oops don't look at the dates on the posts,
shame we are all so far away, coffee and sharing experiences would be good.
We are at stage 1 of learning
K
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Oh I know, coffee and chats/helping out etc are definitely the best way. You learn so much more than books. Whereabout are you? there might be someone nestled in near by that you've not discovered yet!
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I'm in east yorkshire, would be good to chat very isolating having more to do than hours in the day
K
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:) I know that feeling! We are in Worcestershire, quite lucky as we have a goat society for the county and that's been such a help. hopefully ther emight be a smallholders or goat club near you too.