[Rosemary]

I'm not experieiced at using hauliers. We use a local one for taking the pigs and cattle to slaughter.

The guy who bought three breeding cpws from me used a different one to take them from here to Yorkshire. When we sold a bull to South Wales, I gave the buyer the contact for the one that moved the cows.

The bull - he's only eight months -was loaded here two weeks ago and he's still not with the buyer. He's actually not got south of the bi=order yet. He's at the haulier's yard in Annan.

I'm appalled and somewhat distressed. The buyer is stressed to the max. The haulier never contacts her - she always has to phone him (it was the same with the Yorkshire cows but nothing like as bad).

Is this normal? Or is the haulier just taking the mick bacause it's a one off job for a smallholder?

[Herdygirl]

He is waiting for more animals to make up a load to South Wales or he is waiting for someone else to have a load going in that direction he can put the bull on.  I don't know how much your customer has paid for the bulls delivery but I bet it is nowhere near the cost of a wagon taking one animal so far.  I hope its soon though for the animals sake. 

[Rosemary]

I know what he's waiting for. Buyer has given him a list of markets that she can pick up from, including Hereford.

I don't think I'd do this again. I'd rather do the transporting myself than have this. TWO WEEKS? We could have WALKED to feckin' Wales in that time (OK maybe a BITof an exaggeration  )

[doganjo]

I would also be concerned fro teh Bull's welfare - you have no idea who is doing what to that poor animal - a young bull could be scarred mentally for life.

[Lesley Silvester]

Do they have the facilities to keep him properly?

[Rosemary]

TBH I'm not that concerned about his welfare except that I have no control. The haulier is a big outfit and moves a lot of expensive cattle around - so I'd guess he has good facilities. And it's not in HIS best interests to have the stock other than well looked after.

But if the buyer and I had known it was going to take his long, we'd have made other arrangements.

[Backinwellies]

Knowing the buyer I can imagine she is pretty stressed... Good job he wasnt needed immediately!    I know he is still over the border but not knowing what he has been in contact with might be worth an arrival tb test?

[Buttermilk]

A tb test on arrival will be too soon to show anything and everything he comes in contact with should be recently tested.  A large transporter should have proper lairage facilities.  It may be wise to quarantine him for a few weeks though.

[SallyintNorth]

I would not have expected this, no, and would be tearing my hair out also.  However, I've never tried to move animals long distances either, so am very grateful for the cautionary tale.  Clearly when booking a haulier for such a journey, the question of timing and en route accommodation needs discussed!

If I were the recipient I would 100% quarantine the animal and do a 60-day TB test, and perhaps others (BvD, IBR.)  I'd be spitting mad I'd bought an animal from a high health status setup, in a TB free area, and it had been quartered with who knows what beasts for who knows how long.  Yes I know all the beasts it's met so far are either from Scotland or have met the Scottish importation requirements - but there is the odd case in Scotland, from animals legally imported with all the right tests, who then fail their 60-day post-movement test.

[shep53]

Sounds odd to me as well , if its a big company then lorries should be going up and down every day .     I bought 2 ram lambs in 2012 and 1 in 2013  from Shropshire delivered in  36hrs to Argyll        2  stock trailers and  2 arctics from 2 different companys      £36 each lamb

[Marches Farmer]

If I were the buyer I would be inclined to contact the haulier and say that a delay in getting the bull delivered was not part of the contract and, unless given a specific day for delivery within X days I would be billing the haulier for testing, etc., given that the animal was purchased due to its high health status and is now being kept in conditions of unknown biosecurity.

[Rosemary]

He's arrived! Last Friday, safe and well and not looking like he's lost weight. I guess we were more stressed than he was 

[Backinwellies]

He wasn't walked down then !

[Herdygirl]

That's good news, I have been wondering about him