[Old Shep]

  I'm not quite sure from your post who's land they are on?  ( I know they are in a stream but is it your stream or a neighbours?)  Because whoever's land it is can get into trouble with the authorities for having decaying carcasses there.  If its your land then forget about upsetting the neighbours - get it reported asap, otherwise you may be prosecuted.  If its not your land then who it belongs to would be the obvious person to speak to.  Decaying corpses in a water course is very serious and the Environment agency need to know.  Hope you haven't caught anything nasty from being in the water with them 

[Brucklay]

Like Shep said - a decaying sheep in water that is being used is really serious. My mum was seriously ill about 20 years ago - after some investigation it was discovered a sheep had fallen into a well that supplied the house but was not on their land. It prompted Dad to drill their own borehole and have their own supply.

[mab]

Good - I felt I should report it and I'm convinced now. Certainly don't want to be prosecuted for other peoples dumped sheep.



Talking to the neighbours whom I don't suspect is a good idea - as you say, they word'll get around. 


Shep. :
the middle of the stream IS the boundary between my land and another farmer (not the one I suspect) - But I'm definitely going to talk to him - the bridge it at the upstream end of my land so the dead sheep get carried along my boundary.

[scarlettoara]

Like Shep said - a decaying sheep in water that is being used is really serious. My mum was seriously ill about 20 years ago - after some investigation it was discovered a sheep had fallen into a well that supplied the house but was not on their land. It prompted Dad to drill their own borehole and have their own supply.

my thought precisely. many people have private water so things like that can be life threatening.
also think of the germs that your sheep may catch cos these sheep died from something.
report it asap as its too close to home and you may get the blame.
as for being the new one - start off as you mean to go on - we were far too soft with our neighbours in the beginning and they took the mickey constantly until a sheep was killed by our neighbour. that would never have happened if we were firm from the start.

[mab]

well so much for reporting the problem;

I started with the welsh assembly agri no. as that's the first I found:
They said it was not their dept and passed me onto Animal health.

OK, so  I explained to AH about the dumped sheep and their response? "if someone's dumped the sheep on your property then you are responsible for their disposal".

That's it - they aren't going to do anything about it except tell me to pay for the disposal  , so I asked what should be done about stopping future dumping and they suggest I talk to the council officer who deals with fly-tipping.

I guess I'm going to have to solve the problem myself then - maybe you're right Scarlet', I will have a chat with the neighbours, and if they know I suspect them, that's their problem - goodwill be dammed!

I wonder if a sign by the bridge saying cctv in operation would help...

[deepinthewoods]

mab, youve just got to step up and go and confront him, its your land, hes doing something bloody bang out of order. you can hardly piss anyone off, by you stopping it. youll probably find people will respect you all the more for standing up to him, maybe hes dropping them there BECAUSE he thinks your a soft touch?

a bit of 4x2 is optional....

[Dogwalker]

Could you report it to the police and ask their advise? Dumping sheep is illegal so they should at least have a view on it.
 
Could the sheep you found in the blocked stream have fallen in during the flooding,  how steep are the stream banks?

[mab]

mab, youve just got to step up and go and confront him, its your land, hes doing something bloody bang out of order. you can hardly piss anyone off, by you stopping it. youll probably find people will respect you all the more for standing up to him, maybe hes dropping them there BECAUSE he thinks your a soft touch?

You're probably right but, as I don't KNOW it's him I don't want to come out and accuse him - but I will try and let him know I suspect him

...a bit of 4x2 is optional....

don't tempt me 

Could the sheep you found in the blocked stream have fallen in during the flooding,  how steep are the stream banks?

There are a few places where they could get out. They probably went in during the floods - certainly if one was thrown in now there probably isn't enough water to carry it far from the bridge. But if they did fall in by themselves, they managed to cut their eartags off on the way in too.

Trouble is I'm now a bit wary of reporting to EA or police in case I get it in the neck for polluting the stream.

[lachlanandmarcus]

I would report it to police saying that eartags have been cut off and so you think they may have been stolen....that might get their attention....

[colliewoman]

I bet the environment agency won't fob you off as badly as animal health

[scarlettoara]

sepa (or english equivalent) are supposedly strict on water pollution.
thats terrible that they havent took you seriously.
push the sheep onto the other farmer boundary - just in case.

[mab]

Well I may try EA, though I'll be a bit cagey about who/where I am until I'm sure they're interested in finding the culprit.

push the sheep onto the other farmer boundary - just in case.

I was thinking that, but it seems a bit unfair on that neighbour (he can't be the culprit as he doesn't have sheep).  But better out (of the water) than in, certainly - the fox & crows should dispose of them more quickly that way.

[bazzais]

Dumping them in a watercourse shows complete and utter disrespect for who evers problem it is going to be - I agree.

Are there any people renting land in the area?  Is it just off a thoroughfare road?

People dont normally s**t on the doorstep unless they are making a point or stupid - or both.

[scarlettoara]

People dont normally s**t on the doorstep unless they are making a point or stupid - or both.

i agree.
around here - each flock is quite different in breed/quality to the experienced eye, and id reckon itd be easy to idenify the flock they came from within a 10mile radius.
i couldnt imagine a proper farmer dumping the bodies when he could bury them. its not that expensive to get them collected either.

Well I may try EA, though I'll be a bit cagey about who/where I am until I'm sure they're interested in finding the culprit.

our animal health want my holding number before they will speak to me at all on the fone.

[mab]

Dumping them in a watercourse shows complete and utter disrespect for who evers problem it is going to be - I agree.

Are there any people renting land in the area?  Is it just off a thoroughfare road?

People dont normally s**t on the doorstep unless they are making a point or stupid - or both.

I don't think I've pee'd anyone off yet, and I'm learning that dumped carcasses may be the norm around here - someone dumped a steer on the road nearby not long before I came here apparently  ; the council removed it.

don't know about anyone renting, but then I don't have much local knowledge yet. My 'prime suspect' is a local welshman and I don't think he's renting.

As for i.d.-ing the breed; well I don't have an experience eye, except for a few breeds that I know, and after a sheep's been lying dead in the water it doesn't make 'em any easier to id.