[humphreymctush]

I have just got a letter informing me that the council animal welfare officer is paying me a visit next week for a routine check. I think this is a scottish thing and it's to do with their responsibilities under the animal health and welfare act 2006.
Has any one else had a similar visit and if so what happened?

[tizaala]

He will probably want to weigh your muck heap and move it three inches to the right of where it is possitioned now, and check you have a licence to reuse that plastic yoghurt pot for growing mustard and cress in . Give him a fiver to buy his parents a wedding present if ever they decide to marry.

[lachlanandmarcus]

Yes we had one fairly early on, shortly after we started keeping sheep. They were most concerned with flock register and movement docs and feed storage labelling and separation (they took samples for testing for cross contamination and the labels from the bags). They didnt ask us to bring the sheep in for a tag check although they did look from the edge of the field so would have been able to see that most at least had 2 tags! This was about 2 or 3 years ago and havent heard from them since.

[FiB]

Yes we had one fairly early on, shortly after we started keeping sheep. They were most concerned with flock register and movement docs and feed storage labelling and separation (they took samples for testing for cross contamination and the labels from the bags). They didnt ask us to bring the sheep in for a tag check although they did look from the edge of the field so would have been able to see that most at least had 2 tags! This was about 2 or 3 years ago and havent heard from them since.

Same for us in Wales - only a lot less rigorous!  They came about 3 months ago, in suits, took me through the record obligations got me to sign a document saying they had told me all this and then left!  I was quite astounded they didnt want to see any animals!

[dixie]

I've had one visit, looked at the pigs told me they need lots of water!! (which they have). Looked at the sheep told me they all had to be tagged!! (which they were), asked if I used Defra approved disinfectant, I do, and then spent ages looking at movement forms, which were fine. A pointless exercise really.

[FiB]

I've had one visit, looked at the pigs told me they need lots of water!! (which they have). Looked at the sheep told me they all had to be tagged!! (which they were), asked if I used Defra approved disinfectant, I do, and then spent ages looking at movement forms, which were fine. A pointless exercise really.

...what do you use that for then (defra approved disinfectant) - I dont think I have come across any disinfectant situations so far, but now worried ....!

[dixie]

To clean the trailer after use, it's supposed to be disinfected with Defra approved disinfectant. I use mole valley farmers own, it's a powder. There's many different types here's a list http://disinfectants.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Module=ApprovalsList_SI
It's expensive but if used in the correct measurement lasts ages. I use it for boot dips (all visitors with livestock foot dip) to disinfect pens after farrowing, lambing, or between batches of weaners. And for the trailer. Hth.

[FiB]

Ah thanks!  Will need some for next year then  Only done weaners so far but that was all on field and straw bale sty dismanteled after use so nothing to clean there and other people did the trailering. 

[humphreymctush]

Panic over
He was actually very nice. He took note of some details, checked the place over and said he would be back in 5 years.

[in the hills]

What do they check for?

Ive had no inspection yet .... had sheep for 2 years now. 

Id like to make sure Ive got everything covered if I can. I didnt know that you had to use a specific disinfectant for example    How would you know that?  Have I missed some document on Rules and Regs. / advice or whatever?

Im in Wales.

[humphreymctush]

Ive been here for over 10 years and that was my first inspection. Cant tell you about disinfectant it wasnt mentioned. He checked I had a vet med record book, movement records, cattle passports etc he asked about numbers to make sure I wasnt over stocked and then he checked that all the animals had food and water.

[Fowgill Farm]

What do they check for?

Ive had no inspection yet .... had sheep for 2 years now. 

Id like to make sure Ive got everything covered if I can. I didnt know that you had to use a specific disinfectant for example    How would you know that?  Have I missed some document on Rules and Regs. / advice or whatever?

Im in Wales.

Covered by DEFRA in Wales(?) so stuff like VIKRON is approved but Jeyes Fluid isn't. I use JF all the time but keep a couple of sachets of Vikron at hand in case of inspection. Had pigs since 2004 and they've never been yet. Mind they did ring up wanting to come at 4pm on eday and i said no i was at work couldn't they come in the morning and they said no they only did pigs in the afternoon as other livestock farmers objected to them going to pigs first in case they brought any nasties with them, told them I objected to them going to other farms first in case they brought nasties to ME so if they couldn't come in the morning they could go jump, haven't heard anything from them since!
mandy 

[Crofterloon]

I have had the local inspector in he just asked what land we owned and rented.
He looked at the register to make sure we were keeping it up, I was not there at the
time but my wife said that was all there was to it.
 
My own attitude is that these people are here to help not hinder.
 
The same as once my sheep were sampled the dept vet, we chatted and I learnt
a bit from him. (None of which applied to my animals but you never know when).

[Roxy]

Supposed to check every 4 years or so.  He admitted to me that they are not so concerned with the smaller land owner, more the big farms with lots of comings and goings of livestock etc.
 
Looked at some of the goats to check the ear tags, but declined a visit to any of the intact males (now why would that be?) 
 
Insisted on looking inside the horse trailer, even though I told him we did not carry the goats in it.
 
Rapped my wrists over two dead goats with no receipt from the slaughterman, but that was cos I paid cash.....but make sure I do now of course.
 
Picked out 3 movement forms and asked me to show him the goats in my register, and then congratulated me of my good book keeping.
 
Informed me that they can do weight checks on any iffy bags of feed, or test for the content if need be, which I did not know, so that was useful.

[Bramblecot]

Supposed to check every 4 years or so.  He admitted to me that they are not so concerned with the smaller land owner, more the big farms with lots of comings and goings of livestock etc.
 
That is what the inspector told me too when he rang and had a chat about what I was doing with the animals.  He ran me through a few points re movement forms and regs, meds. record and flock book, wished me luck and said they would visit in a year or so. 
When I phoned with a query they were very helpful.