Pigs and paperwork

[Stonehead]

I've just had an animal welfare officer visit the croft to see our pigs and their paperwork.

He's very happy with the way the animals are kept but it now turns out that while I've kept copious paperwork and filled in all the forms, I haven't been filling them in in the prescribed way.

I've been following SEERAD's guidance, but it appears SEERAD has either been interpreting the regulations differently to the local council (for whom the AWO works) or someone stuffed up. It's also apparent that other people have filled in the forms incorrectly as well.

The other thing the AWO pointed out was that the council doesn't have a lot of my forms but that's because SEERAD gave me a different address to the actual Animal Welfare office (which I did find out myself a couple of months back). Actually, it's quite funny as if I hadn't found out the correct address by accident, they never would have found the "errors" in the forms.

So, the upshot is that our pigs and poultry are being kept in conditions well above the minimum expected, that I have kept detailed records of animal numbers, identfication and movements, that I have kept the required information and that I have been following the advice I was given. But, that advice was incorrect and so now all my paperwork is going to have to be redone and checked so that the details are provided in the prescribed fashion.

But before I do that, I'm going to go back to SEERAD to see what they have to say about the AWO's advice. What's the betting they disagree?

As the AWO said (and as both SEERAD and SVS officers have told me in the past), it's all down to individual interpretations of the rules and regulations. Mutter, mutter.

At least this AWO was a decent bloke and an ex-farmer himself, as well as having worked with the SSPCA. He was also happy to give his name and contact details, unlike some SEERAD/SVS officers.

Oh, and the AWO also disagreed with advice given to me (and two other people) by the SVS on how best to transport piglets under 12 weeks of age, while meeting the new transport regulations. He did say it's a gray area, but I'll have to go back to the SVS on this one as well (AWO's do enforcement; SVS does advice).

PS Apologies for posting this on a couple of different forums, but I think people should be aware that regulations often mean different things to different people in different areas of different government and local government bodies.

[camillitech]

yep stoney,

been there got the book, the video and the T shirt. it's a nightmare got 4 lots of pigs off 3 different people in 2 years all did the paperwork different and all did it right (if you can work that out ) like you say it's just down to interpratation (until something goes pear shaped)


THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD!

[Millymollymandy]

It sounds like France!

[Stonehead]

yep stoney,

been there got the book, the video and the T shirt. it's a nightmare got 4 lots of pigs off 3 different people in 2 years all did the paperwork different and all did it right (if you can work that out ) like you say it's just down to interpratation (until something goes pear shaped)


THE WORLD HAS GONE MAD!

Having collected pigs from four different council areas, I know that each one has its own interpretation of the regulations and paperwork, while SEERAD has another and the SVS can have another. It makes a complete nonsenseof the system.

Dumfries and Galloway was the one that really amazed me. They were telling people to not bother with Schedule 2 pig forms, just change a sheep movement form by crossing out sheep and substituting pigs. Then fill in all the details. They like it because the sheep form has loading and unloading times, who the person doing the transport is and so on.

When I first heard this, I didn't believe the person and rang Dumfries and Galloway Council myself. The animal welfare people there confirmed it. (That was two years ago, so there may be a new interpretation now.)

SEERAD and SVS officers have told me in the past that until the regulations on identification, movement paper work and now transport are tested in court a few times and a body of case law builds up, then there will continue to be differences.

Why can't the bumbling incompetents who come up with these regulations do it in such a way that they aren't open to wide and varying interpretations? And why can't they ensure that all the relevant authorities are working to the same objectives?


Still, the AWO thought we were doing well by our pigs and poultry which he said were thriving and happy. Not that that will satisfy some of our critics, though. We've had the SSPCA and the AWO out, plus the council's environmental health people (cockerels crowing - in the countryside!!!) so I'm wondering whose going to be put on our case next...

[camillitech]

cockerels crowing - in the countryside!!!

WHAT, how dare they

[Stonehead]

It was interesting observing the animal welare officer yesterday, as we definitely were not what he was expecting ("southern blow-ins with pet livestock and not a clue" was his initial assumption).

The first thing to surprise him was the amount of paperwork we keep, in what form and how its filed. We have a proper bound herd book, a file of all movement forms, a file of all veterinary work, a bound animal medicine book, a file of pedigree documentation, a file of bought-in animal feed details, a file of SEERAD letters (not much of that, though), a file of reciepts and invoices, etc. All kept up to date and cross-referenced. (Of course, it wasn't "right", but as I said to him I fully expected there to be problems with paperwork as I know how the system works).

His next surprise was when we went out to see the animals and he found a footbath at the clear demarcation between animal side and people side.

Then he found we have a "real" farrowing and weaning pen, with lots of space, concrete floor for ease of cleaning, a creep, heat lamp, goo dlighting, long troughs for feeding and watering (so no jostling for a place to eat or drink), and all whitewashed and kept clean. Plus the weaners in there at the moment were bedded in deep clean straw. (And no, I didn't know he was visiting!)

As we moved out to the fields, he noted that we have a ramp leading from the high ground into the byre and that it's properly inclined and of beaten earth and gravel, so non-slip.

Then the AWO spotted that we have "proper" troughs sunk into the ground and concreted in with vast slabs that even the pigs can't move. He commented on the strong fencing, and liked the fact that pigs have both dug-up earth pens and access to pasture.

He was particularly pleased with our insulated pig huts that we use for winter quarters - good for animal welfare while adult animals maintain condition while piglets put on weight faster over winter. (And a lot of people have sneered at having insulated huts.)

The AWO was very impressed with the condition of Doris, the sow that had her litter weaned two weeks ago. He commented that she hardly looks like she's had a litter - bags (udders) aside.

All in all, a good bill of health for what we do and how we do it.


But what does irk me is the way we've had so much attention paid to what we do, while neighbouring farms have never had inspections like we've had. I'm not saying they're bad (although I can think of some place that are), but we try extremely hard to look after our animals well and to meet the spirit of all the regulations - and we're the ones that get the scrutiny.

I know it's because I won't knuckle down to the people who think we should do it "their way", not do it at all (the rabid, prosletysing vegan animal rights people) or just want to bring us down a peg, but it's infuriating that we get people spending hours checking our croft instead of going after the really dodgy places. (And please, don't say that I have a problem with vegans or vegetarians - it's the really nasty crusading extremists I'm talking about.)

Anyway, I've probably said more than enough to get me in trouble again and it's time to go to playgroup now, too.

[baldowrie]

Stoney

All in all, a good bill of health for what we do and how we do it.

Having seen your set up many times, this is nothing less than I would expect

he noted that we have a ramp leading from the high ground into the byre and that it's properly inclined and of beaten earth and gravel, so non-slip.

being one who is mobility challenged I can second this

[Cassiepod]

Stonehead as always your posts and reasoned and thought provoking. I don't keep animals but I know from my work that different interpretations of the same legislation is immensely frustrating.

Legislation should be written so that there is no chance of local interpretation leaing to inequalities.

You are extrememly fortunate to have a pragmatic visit that has allowed you time to revise your papaerwork ( I also have alot of sympathy for this process too!) and I hope that this will allow the AWO people to focus on people who are less conscientious about the health and welfare of their animals.