The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Womble on August 09, 2016, 10:16:52 am
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Folks, I feel like a total :dunce: for not already knowing this, but what is the status of the ScotEID online movements system, and how do you use it?
I understand that it's not obligatory (yet!), so I still keep a paper flock book and send all the paper movement documents off to SAMU. However, though our last batch to the abbatoir have appeared automatically on the website, the previous batch didn't. Also private movements on/off don't seem to appear even if the paper copies have been sent off. Should I be entering these myself into the website, or not then? And if I should, what value am I getting from having to do everything twice? ???
The same applies for things like tagging of home produced lambs. Do I have to record that in both places, or can I effectively ignore the online system as long as my paper records are up to date?
Sorry to be so stupid!!
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The system is voluntary. Like you, I keep a flock register and send movements to SAMU.
With cattle, using the CTS (cattle tracing system) is mandatory but I still need to keep a herd register and a manual record of movements.
I looked at the SCOTEID for sheep becasue I thought it would be better than using paper but the info on it was rubbish - some abattoirs had used it, some hadn't - so I'll just stick to paper until I am compelled to do otherwise. I did consider trying to sort out the SCOTEID records but feared opening acan of worms and just giving myself work for the sake of tidiness.
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Truthfully I think the web interface is pretty good, and I've never had any problems in doing what I need to do on there. The problem is that it's not integrated with the other systems, so that means double-working to keep everything correct.
So if I've started using SCOTEID, do I have to continue with it, or can I just ignore it from now on and continue with my paper version?
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I'm using the Defra system I guess there are some differences with SCOTEID?
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I hope it's more advanced that the welsh one .... I took the electronic movement form (paper printout) to my local abattoir this week and he just looked at me blankly. Doh.
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Secondary question: who on earth thought it was ok to buy three (four?) different computer systems to do exactly the same thing in different countries of the UK? ???
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Paper all the way for my goats and sheep! I have never even tried to check what's on ScotEid.... and for the pigs the telephone version works great.
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Oooh Womble! It's called devolution you are dicing a merry dance around the edges of a political no go area.
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I'm on ScotEID and find it very easy to use.
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^ Yes, I agree Caroline. But if you have to keep a paper book as well, what value does it add for you? ???
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^ Yes, I agree Caroline. But if you have to keep a paper book as well, what value does it add for you? ???
Not messing about with envelopes and stamps, and having (when it's all bedded in, and runs as well as the cattle one does) the security of knowing that the government systems have had and processed all your movements. Presumeably it will eventually be possible to have the mart do your 'on' movements too, as they can now for cattle.
I've used the English sheep one once, got the, "What's all that about, then?" and still had to do the forms for the abattoir, and have left it until we're forced to use it, by which time hopefully it'll be as widespread as it needs to be.
I still keep my own records for sheep and cattle, because there are inevitably things one wants to record that aren't captured by the government system. For cattle we use Farm Matters from Lines Mitchell, which is very functional, very useful. It does do sheep too, but I haven't investigated that yet. We mostly don't tag until animals leave the farm (apart from breeders we're retaining of course), so it's of limited use to us.
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No, I don't mean 'what value will / would it add if everybody used it' - that's obvious, and as I said before, I think the ScotEID system is perfectly user friendly. I mean what value does it add right now?
I'm still unclear though - do I have to carry on with it now I've started using it, or am I ok to just revert to paper?
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With the English one I use both, sometimes because the vendor isn't using it when I buy and I happen to have an envelope and stamp handy. I have found when I do off movements by paper (e.g to shows or on occasions for convenience of a purchaser) the electronic system is updated when they send in the paper. So someone, somewhere is entering the paper entries into a computer so if you d go back to,paper and check the system in a few months time it should all be there anyway.