[sarahdean_66]

I am wondering what vehicles I can use to transport my sheep in small numbers, anything other than a trailer like a van? I can't find guidance on what type of vehicle can be used! Thanks

[Hillview Farm]

It depends really, if you just want to move a few sheep to a different field you may get away with a van but if you want to take them to slaughter you can't use a van, you need to have them in a seperate area from you, be able to wash that area out and they won't allow you to lift the animals out/ you would need loading gates too

[Anke]

You would have a hell of a job to get sheep to jump into a van -they really load much easier with a ramp (and side gates). Goats jump readily into van.

[FiB]

Ah brill I have been wondering about that too (I hada feeling it had to be a dedicated trailer but couldn't work out exactly why (our van is perfectly washable out able, separated from us by grill so plenty ventilation, but no ramp or gates obviously so would have to lift out..... And yet our neighbour brought his ram to us in the back of his pick up.... So I'd be ok to pick up piglets (they'd be baled off so they didn't rattle around), but not grown animal to market or Abatoir? (I confess I took my lamb to vet in the van.... It was in an ikea bag sling in the footwell next to me ). A friend brings his trailer for everything, but we are always wondering what bits we could do to save trouble for him

[SallyintNorth]

At the abattoir or mart, the Trading Standards inspector will insist that animals walk out of whatever transport they arrived in.  There are rules about the slope of the ramp, too.

We all take anything that'll fit in the back of the pickup to the vet that way

All my bought-in piglets have arrived here in the back of the (well-strawed) pickup.

Pet lambs moved ditto, or in the dog cage in my hatchback.

But journeys of any distance, to/from the mart, to the abattoir - it needs to be properly ventilated, the right kind of flooring, ramp or somewhere the right height they can walk in and out.

[sarahdean_66]

Great thanks it's taking them to slaughter I'm most interested in. I will have to find someone with a nice trailer to borrow! Thanks guys

[twizzel]

We take ours to slaughter in a trailer, but pick them up in the back of the farm pickup in a crate (pickup has a canopy over top), and move them around the farm when they are small enough normally for when they go out in field for the first time in the back of the old farm truck (not a pickup!)

[Young Ed]

we always transport 4 piglets in the back of a van (sprinter) in a large wooden tile crate but to take them to abattoir we borrow a proper trailer from a mate round the corner and then pressure wash it out a return it with a box of chocolates or bottle of wine or both
he is happy we are happy and he hasn't done any work he has just let us borrow his trailer
Cheers Ed

[Young Ed]

oh and i will be doing the same or at least similar when i get sheep soon
Cheers Ed

[trish.farm]

i have moved ewes through the village in a transport box on the back of my tractor.  They all stand in a row looking out backwards at the cars behind them.  Very amusing watching the faces of the drivers behind!!

[Me]

You can transport in a pickup to the abatoir as long as you have a loading ramp and gates at your end and they have the same at the other. One of the local marts has a concrete ramp and I have built one at home to load that exactly fits the pickup so - all legal.

[shep53]

 Sorry but far from legal ,but every one does it .  Have 2 pick ups both with canopies and one broke down a long way from home with sheep in the back and no one would bring it home with the sheep (rac recovery ) so had to wait until I could arrange alternative transport for the sheep .  Local mart has a ramp and gates only a 6" jump but farmers have been turned away if sheep in a pickup  or landrover .   A pick up is not designed for livestock transport just because we put a non manufactures conopy on doesn't make it legal , the floor is normally a plastic bed liner or bare metal and therefore not non slip , plus many pick ups have a gap when the tail gate goes down  sheep and dogs have had damaged and broken legs from this .   The authoritys  say if they could if pushed  clamp down.

[Me]

Oh, strange, one of the local vet/farmers was challenged for doing this and Mr animal health came back from the mart to inspect his loading facilities (similar set up) and left satisfied

[shep53]

 VETS  at marts vary in their interpretation of the rules , times are changing in the last few years numerous stories of trailers being inspected and weighed ( twice  myself ) and being put off the road and I read that we only just got away with not having trailer mot's .   w hen I was a boy we used to take calf's to the mart in a sack in the boot of the car and bring home  weaner pigs in the boot , I expect you'd be locked up if you did this now .    I went to a ram sale last year and it stated that if you didn't have a trailer or vehicle with a ramp and gates you wouldn't be allowed to load .

[Me]

Oh fair play - makes me feel so evil oooooh "breakin' the law - breakin' the law!!"