Author Topic: what to do (Read 3018 times)

langdon · « **on:** January 26, 2010, 09:11:06 pm »

i dont like asking this, but it is one of the things a goat keeper has to deal with,
ive read quite a few post with dead kids mentioned, im just knew to goat keeping
and will be hoping to get our nannies pregant when able, my question is what is the right way
going about dealing with a dead kid, how do you dispose of the body in a correct manner.
what does defra say or do they have guide lines to follow.
as said above sorry for bringing it up, as goat keepers none of us want this.
ta langdon

ballingall · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2010, 09:43:27 pm »

Langdon,

You have pigs don't you? So what would you do with one of them if they died because they were ill? You aren't allowed to bury "fallen stock" ie, an animal that has died, on your land. Therefore you should have very handy the number of your local slaughterman, or knacker's yard. They will come and pick up any dead animal bodies. DEFRA is slightly different to SEERAD that we have up here, so you might want to check with your local office.

Beth

Roxy · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2010, 10:48:22 pm »

Hopefully, you will have lots of live kids, and the problem will not arise very often, if at all. But you are being sensible thinking about things - yes, it does happen. In 35 years of goat keeping I have never lost a kid - until this year, when it happened twice in a week.

As to the disposal of a dead kid - well, technically you are not supposed to bury an animal on your land. Before the foot and mouth and its problems came in, I buried all my goats at home when they died of old age - as well as dogs, cats, rabbits etc. I now pay £15 when I take them to the slaughter house. But .....a new born kid, or lamb or whatever will not have an ear tag, so who is to know it ever existed, if you get my drift. I know quite a few horses buried in fields round here, and so long as its well away from a water course, that seems ok.

langdon · « **Reply #3 on:** January 27, 2010, 06:54:03 pm »

yes we do, but we are new to keeping all our animals so sorry had to ask,
but thanks for reply beth

ballingall · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2010, 10:01:03 pm »

Roxy,

I do agree with you are saying, and to be honest a newborn kid would not take long to decompose either...

The other thing is that, the scheme does specify livestock. Someone I know was in an acrimonious letterwriting disagreement with SEERAD regarding her pony who was 30 I think. She was arguing that she and her sister had him for 30 years, so he was a pet and nearer a member of the family than he was an animal. SEERAD did eventually conceed, that if the case went to court, it would be EXTREMELY unlikely she would punished for burying him on her land, as he was a pet.

I buried one of my goats not long after that discussion with SEERAD on much the same basis. My goat was 10 when she died, I'd had her since she was born and she had been one of only two things that kept me going through some rough times in my teens (was ill for a long time, clinically depressed etc, etc), and she would have hated being carted off in a truck. So she went in her favourite place, in our field amongst the grass.

Beth

Roxy · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2010, 10:39:50 pm »

I have had many goats over the years, long before ear tags etc. They meant the world to me, and many were in their mid teens when they died. My OH's face was a picture when one died and I insisted he buried her. She was an enormous Toggie. In fact, down our front field we have numerous of my old friends. Since the more stringent laws in force, I have reluctantly taken them to the slaughter house and been charged £15 each.