Farmed species information

Advice on owning farmed species

Contents

Farmed animals responsibilities to cover

Farm animals have different needs and requirements than domestic pets. Before you purchase a farmed animal please consider the following points:

Housing

Ideal accommodation involves warm, dry and straw‐bedded housing in cold temperatures and a shelter from the sun in hot weather. For species specific requirements please refer to the relevant Welfare Codes, available from Staffordshire County Council’s Animal Health Team

Diet

You need to ensure that your animal has got an appropriate diet and access to fresh clean water. Suitable feed can be purchased from your local agricultural merchants. The feed must be appropriately stored in a clean & dry environment, where no vermin or wild birds have access to it. If you keep pigs remember that it is illegal to feed them with waste food or kitchen scraps.

Biosecurity

Farm Animals carry a risk of diseases some of which may transfer to humans. Make sure your animals cannot escape from your premise and it should not have direct or indirect contact with other farm animals under a different ownership. If transported in a vehicle, a strict cleansing and disinfection routine needs to be followed. Personal biosecurity of all people having direct contact with animals is strongly recommended.

Animal Waste and By‐Products

Farmed species produce noise, odours and waste. If you rent make sure you have got permission from your housing association / landlord to keep a farm animal. If you live in a residential area it is generally a good idea to speak with your immediate neighbours before you obtain the animals.

Your local District or Borough Council will assist you with information about animal waste and nuisance complaints. There are very strict rules surrounding disposal of fallen stock – please contact Staffordshire County Council’s Animal Health Team for more information. Remember burying farmed animals is illegal.

We are here to help!

Staffordshire County Council’s Animal Health Team offers reliable, impartial advice on the regulations and best practice of keeping farmed animals. We also offer information leaflets, welfare codes, movement books and movement documents.

Please contact us using the details below:

Staffordshire County Council
Animal Health Team
Staffordshire Place 2
Stafford
ST16 2DH

Tel: 01785 277875
Email: animal.health@staffordshire.gov.uk

Useful Contacts:

Species Registration Identification Reporting Movement Keeping Records
Pigs


CPH number RPA on 03000 200 301

Registration and Herd Mark APHA on 03000 200 301

Feed Hygiene Registration if kept for human consumption. (SCC Animal Health 01785 277875)

Choose either from:

- Ear Tag (single)

- Tattoo

- Double Slap mark

Online - www.eaml2.org.uk

By Phone - 0844 335 8400

 Herd Register - Hard copy or Online register Veterinary Medicine Record Book Animal By Products records
Sheep and Goats

CPH number RPA on 03000 200 301

Registration and Flock Mark APHA on 03000 200 301

Feed Hygiene Registration if kept for human consumption. (SCC Animal Health 01785 277875)

Breeding - Two identifiers (one of which should be electronic)

Slaughter - Single electronic identifier (EID is optional for goats)

Online - livestockinformation.org.uk

LIS 1 form by post to: Livestock Information Service C/o Defra Curwen Road, Workington CA14 2DD

support@livestockinformation.org.uk

By Phone - 03300 416 577

 Flock Register LIS 1 or Online Account Veterinary Medicine Record Book Animal By Products records
Cattle

CPH number RPA on 03000 200 301

Herd Mark APHA on 03000 200 301

Passport (BCMS)

Feed Hygiene Registration if kept for human consumption. (SCC Animal Health 01785 277875)

 All cattle should be double tagged Beef cattle - should be applied within 20 days of birth Dairy cattle – at least one tag applied within 36 hours of birth with the second applied within 20 days

Movements on or off the premise to be reported within 3 days of the movement taking place: Online via CTS website

Online via CTS website - www.bcms.gov.uk

CTS self-service line - 0345 011 1212

 Herd Register Passports Veterinary Medicine Record Book Animal By Products records
Poultry

Register if 50 or more birds – GB

Poultry Register 0800 634 1112

Feed Hygiene Registration if kept for human consumption. (SCC Animal Health 01785 277875)

 N/A N/A For 50 or more poultry you need to keep a record of mortality rates For more than 250 birds you will need to keep population/depopulation records Animal By Products records
Horses Passports issued by various PIO’s (Passport Issuing Organisations) (Note: Veterinary or Breed Certificates are not passports)

All foals born since 1 July 2009 must be microchipped

If your horse was passported before 1 July 2009 you do not have to microchip your horse and the passport is valid.

 It is illegal to sell a horse without a passport and the passport must accompany the horse at all times. There are a few exceptions such as when stabled, out at pasture or on a short hack / ride. The passport must be made available within 3 hours of it being requested by an enforcement agency

Passports

Fallen stock records

Veterinary treatment / medicine records need to be kept if animal is intended for human consumption