[Lisa.W]

Hi all,

A friend of mine has inherited a smallholding which he would like to register with a CPH number.  He also inherited 3 old sheep (over 6 years old) that have never been registered with DEFRA.  As he wants to increase his animal numbers with goats, he will need to notify the authorities about his sheep.  Does anyone know how to go about this, without getting into too much trouble.  The original owner of the sheep has passed away and my friend is just picking up the pieces.

Thanks.

Lisa

[Foobar]

Phone your local Animal Health office, they are very helpful and they will sort it all out.

[Lisa.W]

I don't want to land my friend in a tricky situation.  That's why I would like to do some research first, so he knows what to expect.

Thanks.

[suziequeue]

Yes - agree with above. I expect if it was an active smallholding it may already have a CPH number. Animal Health or Trading Standards will be able to help I'm sure.

[Rosemary]

Truly, Animal Health are not in the business of sticking folk in the pokey  They are really helpful and will be best placed to sort this out 

[Fleecewife]

I don't think it will be a problem.  You don't have to 'register' your animals as such ie individually, rather the authorities need to know that you keep sheep so you can be sent all the relevant info, especially if there is a disease outbreak.
 
You keep a record of your sheep numbers and movements in your flock book, and they keep a tally of animals on and off your holding from the movement docs you send in (which isn't the same as your overall numbers).  But I think that when you set up, you have the sheep you have if you have taken them on as sitting tenants and just let them know.  If the previous owner hadn't been in the system it isn't your friend's fault and they will just be pleased that he is doing things properly now.  That is the case in Scotland anyway.
 
So you register your land as a holding, and you inform them that you keep sheep, or cattle, or goats or pigs, but registering animals is really more for pedigree stock which are registered with a breed society.

[robert waddell]

as others have said  defra or animal health will not be wanting to hang draw and quarter you or your friend   in these circumstances they are very helpfull      but if as fleecwife has pointed out about registered or pedigree sheep if they have been in the system (by ear tag numbers)with that society again that society should welcome you as or your friend as a new member as long as you pay the membership

[Mallows Flock]

Animal Health are great.... they helped me when some sheep I bought had been tagged wrongly... saying wouldn't it be a shame if the tags 'fell out' and I had to use my own red replacement tags instead. I was totally new to sheep and it took me a while to get what they were trying to tell me (a little naive, me!) but i got there in the end! 

[CaroleBulmer]

To get a CPH you need to contact RPA as they are the only body that can give you this.  They will also advise you if the land had a CPH before, but word of caution, it is better to register with your own new CPH.  You then need to ring your local AHVLA office approx two days later as they will have been emailed the info from RPA, and you will have to register your details with them, ie name address and variety of animals you are going to keep.  You then have to contact your Local trading standards to advice them you are keeping animals and enter all animals onto a holding register, ones without eartags will need replacement ones which you can obtain once you have registered with AHVLA - hope this helps