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Villageways
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Posted: 18 February 2008 08:34 pm | 1st Post |
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A growing number of “hobby farmers” who keep livestock mainly as pets threaten the future of British agriculture unless they undergo tough licensing and inspection regimes, the National Farmers’ Union claimed yesterday.
The farmers are being blamed for the second wave of the foot-and-mouth outbreak in Surrey last September. Peter Kendall, the president of the NFU, claims that without new controls on them they could be the backdoor route for new disease outbreaks.
Mr Kendall said: “We have to ask, should hobby farmers be allowed to jeopardise the professional industry? In these days of bluetongue, foot-and-mouth disease, avian flu and increased disease threats from climate change, should these keepers not need a licence, or some form of competence, to look after farm animals?”
Mr Kendall, who runs an arable farm with his brother in Bedfordshire, said: “I need to be inspected, and I don’t see why everyone keeping animals should not have the same inspections. These people cannot be allowed to put agriculture at risk.”
oooh eeeer... read more...
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piggybreeder
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Posted: 18 February 2008 09:06 pm | 2nd Post |
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What an ar*eole, 
As you know, I keep pigs and chickens, Although Ive only 30 chucks and 10 pigs I still have to register with defra, have a holding number and still subject to the rules and regulations that some one with hundreds of animals have.
http://www.bramblescroft.com
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Richyrich
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Posted: 18 February 2008 09:12 pm | 3rd Post |
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Too true PB a right idiot, truth be told most smallholders and people who keep just a few chucks or whatever genrally take more time over their indiviual animals then the likes of Bernard Matthews and his chum's who bring the problem here in the first place, big boys are worried that more and more people actually care where stuff comes from and that the smallholders are getting a cut of their money thats all 
Ohh forgot to say hello everyone, been away for a bit, things got a bit hectic recently.
Last edited on 18 February 2008 09:13 pm by Richyrich
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wendy
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Posted: 19 February 2008 07:35 pm | 4th Post |
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| We keep pigs and table and laying chickens and turkeys. We have to register with defra and keep the same records for movement and any drugs used, we have to dispose of all fallen animals and birds under the same rules as the farmers. You have to register with a livestock vet and we have had a smallholding health check done by our vet. So I dont know why they think we could be a threat ?, we take care of our stock better than some local farmers ( my vet told me this he said we had piggy heaven here) we do no wait if there is a problem we get the vet out right away some farmers deal with it themselves!!!.
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bigbun
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| Joined: | 21 February 2008 |
| Location: | Essex |
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Posted: 21 February 2008 05:22 pm | 5th Post |
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I think the man has a point: If you have a proper smallholding (business), then you are registered with Defra etc. However, if like me, you only have 10 chicken (for eggs, slug patrol and table) and a shed full of show rabbits in the garden, then Defra is not interested in you - no even voluntarily. Now, if - God forbid - Avian Flu comes into my area, I would not know unless the media pick the story up. By which time it may be too late for my birds or worse: my family who may have had contact with a sick bird.
There are thousands of townies nowadays who think chicken make great pets, rescue the odd battery hen and don't care about the poo on the patio. And also what about those who just keep the odd pet goat/sheep/horse/cow - not for commercial reasons or home-growing food, but just as exotic "member of the family"
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Richyrich
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Posted: 21 February 2008 08:59 pm | 6th Post |
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Problem is with that kind of attitude from Mr Kendall if he got his way you probably would not be allowed to keep your hens and possibly your rabbits. You probably would definately not be able to keep for slaughter.
As far as I understand you can only catch avian flu if in close frequent contact to poultry so chances of a family member getting it would be slim, esp if they are all taught good bio security, I know mine are.
Personally I think it would be the thin edge of a very large wedge, mr Kendall and his buyers don't want you to produce eggs and meat they want you to buy it, at a huge profit to them with little regard to the welfare of the animal involved. I've been told that free range eggs are sold to supermarkets at little over 50p a dozen = huge mark up.
According to some of the poultry forums I visit most people who keep poultry at home would probably fail a DEFRA inspection, just down to some of the regulations that are inforced for farmers, they would not distinguish you from bernard matthews
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piggybreeder
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Posted: 22 February 2008 10:49 am | 7th Post |
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| well said richyrich
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bigbun
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Posted: 22 February 2008 11:21 am | 8th Post |
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I know where you are coming from, but my point is the increasing muddling within the non-commercial sector between pets and lifestock. Sure, the big industrial farmers have no time for the small-scale, high quality producers who take away customers from their outlets.
As for me, you can't get "soup" (old ones that need stewing, rather than frying, but taste better) chicken or rabbit in our supermarkets. Luckily, Defra has quiet clear guidelines for slaughtering for own consumption.
The whole tradition of people keeping a couple of animals to supplement their diet is going to pots (or shall I say: supermarket) and is replaced by "unusual pets". Being on this Forum is a whole new perspective for me: So far it was only the RSPCA that was out to stop me from small-scale livestock keeping
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Richyrich
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Posted: 22 February 2008 07:40 pm | 9th Post |
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Lots to learn on here bigbuns, everyone is nice and friendly too, RSPCA can be a pain sometimes, I tried reporting a shetland in distress the other day and it ended up as a marketing exercise 
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wendy
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Posted: 25 February 2008 12:40 am | 10th Post |
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At the end of the day if we all keep our live stock well fed, with clean fresh water( very important) housed clean and dry with regular spot checks for any illness which are quickly dealt with, we are all doing what we should to protect our animals /birds from illness. These are Defra quide lines. Go a step further and spot any possible problems before they happen and you are on a winner. In my book stay ahead of the game and you should be fine. Worm regular and any bird or animal that looks a bit off colour get it in and deal with it before it becomes a problem. (9 times out of 10 they just need a thorn removing a cut dressing a drench or some tlc and warmth)
but at least you are sure they are ok. As for avian flu blue tounge and foot and mouth we are as much in the hands of the gods as the rest. Bio security and a watchfull eye is all we can do. And lets hope the powers that be do the same!?
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wendy
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Posted: 25 February 2008 01:01 am | 11th Post |
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O forgot to say we eat very well on our own chickens pork,turkey and eggs all reared on on our land we are happy knowing they were reared well and killed humanely.
All within Defra guide lines (and better).
Also we recently took in 17 laying hens that were produced for Marks and Spencer's organic eggs. the supplier had to dispose of them because they were laying too many eggs for her quoter.
If we had not taken them they would have been killed for no good reason. Young hens in their first year of lay how sick is that. All because of government guide lines.
We live in a mad mad world.
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