Originally from: Richard Mawdsley
                        
Dear all,

Have you looked at your Sheep& Goat census form yet?

It is so simple I had to telephone the helpline.

Its very simplicity is its downfall; it is not capable of giving an accurate breakdown of the national sheep & goat flocks.

The sensible body I spoke to in York told me I was not the first to query the form, nor would I be the last.

Column 1: holding number. That's not too difficult is it? Mind you it continues over the page just in case anyone has multiple holding numbers.

Column 2: Total number of sheep/goats. Once again, pretty straightforward stuff.

Column 3 onwards: Tick ONLY ONE box. Problem!

Does one keep sheep/goats for (a) Meat; (b) Milk; (c) Wool; (d) Breeding stock; (e) Pets; (f) Other, please specify.

Remember, one may only tick ONE box.

Questions: As all my sheep will eventually end up as meat do I list my total as Meat?

OR, as the vast majority will be sheared more than once do I tick them all as Wool?

OR, as the majority, once again, are ewes put to the ram in 2005 and ewe lambs born in 2005 to be put to the rams in Nov. 2006 plus the attend and (and attentive) Rams do I tick the Breeding Stock column?

Answers: The form was apparently designed by someone in London who has never had anything to do with sheep/goats. (Answer to question I didn't actually ask, merely implied.)

If answered as directed the census will be distorted and Defra will be even more ignorant than before.

Solution: Yes there is one.

In column 1 write the holding number and in column 2 put the number of sheep/goats in ONE category and tick the relevant box under Col. 3. Then, in column 1 write the holding number AGAIN and in Col. 2 the total number of sheep/goats in the next category and tick the next relevant box under Col. 3; and so on.

.so long as the total of animals in column 2 equals the number that one can justify from one's other records.

That should be clear.

On the other hand, the sheep market being what it is, why not list the whole damned lot as pets? They may as well be. We aren't making a whole lot out of them. (In fairness, she didn't recommend the latter course. Her superiors wouldn't be able to see the joke!)

 Richard.