[mowhaugh]

Is anyone MV accredited?  Any idea how quickly it can be done?  I am going on Friday to buy a couple of Berrichon tup lambs, to use on our draft age Cheviots, and OH is interested in breeding some pure.  I would really like to buy him a couple of gimmers (and I suppose I would need another tup  ) as a surprise; they would already be MV accredited, and I do have the facilities to keep them the required distance apart - the two fields in front of our house, which are separate from the rest of the farm have not had sheep in them for over 8 weeks - but do I need to get inspected and so on before the sheep come, or if I can keep them isolated, would it be OK to buy them even if everything isn't sorted by Friday?

I know I need to ring the SAC, but busy with playgroup/swimming lessons and so on shortly so won't be able to do that today - thought someone on here might have done this.

Personally I am not a fan of the scheme, but if we are going to try to sell Berrichons, I think it will be necessary.

[Tim W]

We were MV acc at one stage but no longer as it is expensive and debatable as to if the extra sales pay for the testing etc.
 If you want to sell 'pedigree' (bit of paper) sheep to pedigree breeders the you may gain from being MV acc but if your market is commercial terminal sire buyers then it is prob not worth it

We certainly don't have any problem selling breeding stock now

When we started into MV the vet came out before and checked the boundaries etc---why not call your vet and check, they should know the rules?
Call your vet and ask

[smudger]

Is the main benefit of MV accreditation export sales?  Also read somewhere you need to have double fencing between own stock / neighbours, which I thought you'd be unlikely to have.


Could you ask the breeder to keep the stock till your ready / if you want to go down that route?

[Rosemary]

Would the breed society not offer advice?

[mowhaugh]

Hi guys, thanks, yes, I can get all the info from vet, etc., it is just making a phonecall is practically impossible with my boys about, they always seem to fall out/over/off something at a critical moment.  My mum is here tomorrow, and I can make phonecalls then, just thought someone else might have tried to do it at short notice and could let me know how it went.

The society are firmly committed to MV accreditation, so to sell at society sales, and to show, we would need to go down that route.  Our set up re fencing and so on is not a problem - we have about 7 acres in front of our house, which has a 4 m strip of trees, then the river, than the road, before it meets our neighbours' land, and at the back, there is our house, then our road and buidlings, before you get to the rest of the farm, so that aspect of things is OK.  It is purely if it is possible to do it before Friday!  I am sure I could source some stock quite easily at a later date once we are sorted, but I was just really wanting to do it as a surprise - which would be possible on Friday because OH is already expecting me to go away with the truck and trailer to the society sale at Carlisle; I think he might wonder where I was going any other time!

[novicesmallholder]

Hi,
 
just as long as there is a 2 meter gap between MV and non MV stock you will be fine.

[SallyintNorth]

Is there any requirement to disinfect self, clothing and equipment when going from non-MV to MV-accredited sheep?

[mowhaugh]

Is there any requirement to disinfect self, clothing and equipment when going from non-MV to MV-accredited sheep?

Yes, Sally there is - handling facilities, stock trailers etc. etc.

For the small number I am thinking of getting, I think the easiest thing would be to build a small handling set up in the corner of the fields they'll be using so they have their own - we've plenty of pin together gates, so shouldn't be too difficult.  I think it will be easier just to have separate wellies, waterproofs etc., and luckily we do have a small stock trailer (takes about 6 sheep) which we've not used for ages which could be kept just for them.  There is loads to think about, though!

[Rosemary]

For the small number I am thinking of getting, I think the easiest thing would be to build a small handling set up in the corner of the fields they'll be using so they have their own - we've plenty of pin together gates, so shouldn't be too difficult.  I think it will be easier just to have separate wellies, waterproofs etc., and luckily we do have a small stock trailer (takes about 6 sheep) which we've not used for ages which could be kept just for them.  There is loads to think about, though!

Well, you're keen. I couldn't be bothered with all that palaver 

[mowhaugh]

I know, Rosemary, and I wouldn't bother for myself, but I really want to do something for my OH, he works so hard, (sheep work from 5 this morning, 20 minutes for lunch, away to his paid job combine driving and has just phoned to say he doesn't expect to be back until 1am) and is really keen on the Berrichons, and it would be lovely if I could sort it all as a surprise.

[Rosemary]

That's really nice  - I'm sure he'll appreciate it.

[novicesmallholder]

It is a pain really,
 
we have to be MV to export sheep which our society do. How many cases of MV in the past 5 years?................urm count on one hand.

[SallyintNorth]

I see where you are coming from mowhaugh.  But... if this is all a surprise, and he gets his favourite sheep but now finds it means double the cost and double the work, when he's already flat out to find time to do what is needed now... I'd discuss it with him, because of the MV issue and the additional (read double) cost and work it entails.

[mowhaugh]

I see where you are coming from mowhaugh.  But... if this is all a surprise, and he gets his favourite sheep but now finds it means double the cost and double the work, when he's already flat out to find time to do what is needed now... I'd discuss it with him, because of the MV issue and the additional (read double) cost and work it entails.

Yes, Sally, you are absolutely right, but he has already said he wants to do it, but just thought he had left it too late for sheep to tup this year and would have to wait until next year.  In terms of time, if they are in the fields in front of out house, I can do the actual work when he hasn't got time; my mother in law would love to help more with the boys but isn't well enough to leave alone with them, but she could have them when I am just there as all she has to do is stick her head out of the door and call, or if the boys are in a good mood, they can play in the garden where I can see them too, I have plenty of time, I just always have helpers!  If he then decideds the MV thing is all too much, well if we can breed a couple of tups for our own commercial use and another couple of people who  know are interested, well it would save us a trail to buy.

[mowhaugh]

So, i now know the answer to my original question which is that it is OK to buy the sheep, then get accredited, as long as you keep them isolated.  Very reliant on everyone being totally honest!

But, I ended up not buying any females anyway.  I got the chance to buy a 5 shear Kerry Hill tup whose progeny I have much admired on the road home from the Berrichon sale, so I needed to put him into the trailer too, which instantly wiped out the MV accreditation of the Berrichons inside.  It didn't matter for the 3 tup lambs I bought, as they are to use on our draft age Cheviots, but would have mattered for the females.  I did, however, meet lots of lovely friendly helpful people, and got a contact number for a lady not too far away who has some ewe lambs at home we could buy if we like them, so it is all good.