[katelock]

Dear all,
having just registered my four young weaners I have had a scary phone call from a woman who is the "animal health officer". How worried should I be (just generally don't like inspections, Offsted, CSCI, Standards for better health - for those who have had any contact with the NHS world) what will she be looking for, any tips on what to say?
many thanks. Kate (not the France one!)

[Blinkers]

Hi Kate- I had exactly the same thing happen when I got my sheep   about 4 years ago.   ~But this chap, complete with black briefcase in hand,.....just turned up on the doorstep.  But actually he was extremely nice, checked the paperwork and offered loads of advise.  He followed the call up with a huge envelope package stuffed full of leaflets and info about keeping sheep  , and other info about keeping pigs  - cos I told him I was aiming to get some weaners - and even stuff about horses, as it was just before horse passports  .  So I wouldn't worry about it. If my experience was anything to go by, I kept his card and got in touch with him a couple of time over the years to ask advise about stock records books and such like.

[danndans]

Have had the same sort here to, an oldish man, he was more interested in how much i was selling half a pig for saying that i was had last year for a licence being put in a day to soon, said sorry smiled and said well at the end of the day i'm only a woman   hehe it worked wonders!  the plonkers

[Rosemary]

We've never been inspected but I've phoned them a couple of tiimes and they've been really helpful. Always better to keep these folk on side than antagonise them. I work in local government, so I know how official-baiting can backfire.

[carl]

I had the same experience. He rang up asked when it was convenient to call, just really checked up that I knew the important rules and regs. He was most interested in making sure that that the pigs were being fed correctly, and that I understood about not feeding kitchen waste or animal product. She will want to know what you feed the pigs, so keep a few receipts from your feed merchant and show her the bags. Have your movement docs available for her to see. Show that fresh water is available to the pigs and that their welfare is important. All basic stuff that you will have no difficullty with. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask as she will be glad to share her knowledge. If you don't already, make a pig folder with all the info in(receipts, forms, defra leaflets, records etc). She may not want to see it, but it can't do any harm. she is interested in the welfare of your new weaners, just the same as you, so don't be worried, it is just part of becoming a pig person.

[katelock]

many thanks to all, this has calmed my nerves! I have my pig folder to hand and will change the water before she gets there. I'll let you know how it goes. K

[katelock]

hi all. no problems. they are obviously having a local blitz on making sure no catering waste is going to pigs, she just checked i was feeding them with sow nuts and went on her way. very straightforward. thanks for all the support K

[woollyval]

Don't worry.....they phoned me at 7am last week to ask how many dead sheep I had had last year as they didn't believe my annual return

[katelock]

how many did you have?? K

[woollyval]

Only 2, which accordingly they thought I'd made an error and was hiding something

[Blinkers]

They obviously haven't got enough to do to keep 'em busy     I wouldn't mind that job