Jiglu: Farmtalking: Discussion: Re: Latest earmarking/movement news affecting goats.

Originally from: Christine Ball

Hi Chris.
Yes microchipping is currently being discussed by Defra and various societies. The problems include chips "migrating" and the cost of the readers. Goat earmarks are regularly checked by vets, at shows, semen collections, etc so many people would need readers however many of us think this is the way forward. Unfortunately such changes take time to organise and in the meantime our goats have to be identified for a range of reasons. Local goat clubs usually hold earmarking sessions where many members can take advantage of the club equipment and services. Last year this was not possible so many kids went unmarked and consequently unregistered. Earmarking adult goats is a much harder job than doing kids especially now we have to do both ears, but they have to be traceable to their holding of birth. Cheers,
Christine Ball (GoatsUK).

Author wrote:
I watched some puppies being tattooed I thought it was horrific so is
eartagging, is there a reason why you can't have chips like the other
animals do, i.e. dogs,cats,fish,budgies and horses?
As you so rightly point out tags get caught, ears get torn, awful,
presumably if you have a goat with a torn ear you can't show it anymore, and
the chips could contain the info needed for movement etc.
Would this also not be a sensible alternative for farm type pets at
farm parks etc, I believe it is already done on many species in zoos.
Chris –
pe-----Original Message-----
From: <a href="...">...</a> <a href="mailto:<...>"><...></a>;
To: <a href="...">...</a> <a href="mailto:<...>"><...></a>;
Date: 16 April 2002 19:43
Subject: Re: [farmtalking] Latest earmarking/movement news affecting goats.
You would not believe the battle goatkeepers have been having to get to
this compromise Mary. It was looking like we would be expected to tattoo TWO
lines in the left ear to get all the info in and some of us with breeds that
have small ears just knew we did not have space. Also two lines would be
bound to hit blood vessels. We tattoo the right ear anyway and have done for
years to register our goats with the BGS. Most goatkeepers do not like tags
as goats tend to pull them out and tear their ears.
The BGS Scottish rep managed to find sensible people to speak to at Seerad
who worked out the arrangement below, and Defra have followed suit and
agreed to our requests.
I fail to see how not complying would benefit us as we need to be able to
sell and transport our goats for various reasons which we could not do
without the appropriate earmarks.
Christine Ball.
Author wrote:
Eartagging....How quick the British are to collude in their own
destruction
out of a depressingly misplaced confidence in the "authorities". But
what
is even more depressing is that it's the animals who suffer first.
Take a step back and just think about what DEFRA sound like with their
utterly obnoxious rules and regulations.....
DEFRA and SEERAD have agreed that the following is acceptable:
One ear: the six digit Herd Number e.g.123456
Other ear: A modified registration earmark, with the numbers first, will
be
accepted as the goats' individual number, the presence of letters after
the
number is permitted. E.g. instead of a BGS earmark of ABC10R, you must
put
10ABCR. 10 will then be the official individual number of that goat. An
individual number is needed for showing, selling on twice, export,
breeding
movements' etc. This system avoids the need to put two rows of tattooed
digits in a kid's ear.
However, if you are taking a bought-in goat to a show, which is legally
not
tattooed with the breeder's Herd Number (because of its age), it should
be
marked with an "S", followed by your Herd Number, followed (if the other
ear
is already tattooed with, say a BGS earmark with letters in front) by an
individual number. This would involve two tattooing operations, or a tag.
Heil Defra......
Mary at warmwell
----- Original Message -----
From: <a
href="mailto:<...>"><...></a>;
To: <a
href="mailto:<...>"><...></a
;
Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 11:28 AM
Subject: [farmtalking] Latest earmarking/movement news affecting goats.
The following news has been received from Ruth Goodwin of the British
Goat
Society and affects ALL goats which must be earmarked according to the
rules
below.
If anybody needs help or more info please contact me on
<a href="...">...</a>
Cheers,
Christine Ball.
AGRI-NEWS STOP PRESS – SOME GOOD NEWS AT LAST
DEFRA's early summer review of the interim animal movements regime
proposes
that (assuming no further cases of FMD) goats, and sheep, can go to shows
from 15th May 2002. Also, that there will be exemption from the 20-day
standstill for individually identified breeding goats of either sex.
Earmarking update: DEFRA and SEERAD have agreed that the following is
acceptable:
One ear: the six digit Herd Number e.g.123456
Other ear: A modified registration earmark, with the numbers first, will
be
accepted as the goats' individual number, the presence of letters after
the
number is permitted. E.g. instead of a BGS earmark of ABC10R, you must
put
10ABCR. 10 will then be the official individual number of that goat. An
individual number is needed for showing, selling on twice, export,
breeding
movements' etc. This system avoids the need to put two rows of tattooed
digits in a kid's ear.
However, if you are taking a bought-in goat to a show, which is legally
not
tattooed with the breeder's Herd Number (because of its age), it should
be
marked with an "S", followed by your Herd Number, followed (if the other
ear
is already tattooed with, say a BGS earmark with letters in front) by an
individual number. This would involve two tattooing operations, or a tag.
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