The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Hevxxx99 on December 22, 2014, 05:39:09 pm
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I've found a couple of ewes I fancy that are about 100 miles away.
What are the regulations about transporting them? The DEFRA information isn't very clear: it seems to say I can't transport sheep more than 50km if it's an economic thing. I may make money from the lambs I breed, so does that count as economic? If I need a certificate of competence, where do I get one?
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surely after all your costs you can't make a profit, therefore its a hobby and your exempt...
well that's the argument i would have used if anyone noticed me bringing my starter flock the 150 miles to its new home, best guess if i'm lucky it will take me 5 years to break even, even if i value the lamb i put in my own freezer at a premium price...
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I recently looked into this in quite some detail (as I wanted to deliver 2 ram lambs from North Wales to South Lanarkshire - 270 miles).
I got a few good pointers from past posts on here (in particular this one (http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=18196.msg171777#msg171777)), googled a bit further to find the actual DEFRA documents, and then called the Animal Transport office in Carlisle (or whatever they are, my local AH office sent me to them) to confirm.
The DEFRA guidance on transporter authorisations is here (http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/welfare/transport/documents/authguidance230508.pdf), and this also includes the information on who does not need an authorisation. This includes (quoting from doc above):
- not in the course of business or trade;
- not for hire or reward;
- consisting of a single animal accompanied by a person who has responsibility for its welfare (or two animals accompanied by two people)
You can argue what 'the course business or trade' might consist of (if your smallholding is a registered business not making a profit in the course of this particular transaction might not be a bombproof excuse). But the last point about specific animals being accompanied by an equal number of 'carers' should cover you fully if it's just a couple of ewes you want to move - the lady at the Defra office in Carlisle confirmed this to me specifically.
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I'm sure that a very large number of people break that law.
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When laws are crap a bit of breakage is inevitable.
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Thanks that's very helpful. :thumbsup:
I think I'll risk it with the two if they're still available after Christmas.