As the nights draw in, farmers across the UK will be beginning the process of bringing their livestock home from grasskeep, and inside for winter. There are many things to do to prepare for the rougher months. We suggest weekly planning to help your day run smoother and keep stress levels low.
Before the livestock come back, make a list of what you need to prepare for the animals. This could be the bedding you are planning on using this year or the feed rations you want to try out. It could also be simple things like making sure you have enough supplements in stock for livestock, for example, having ready all the resources needed for a successful lambing.
When first bringing livestock back to the main farm/ buildings, remember to do a head count as soon as possible. If you are missing any, it is better to know sooner rather than later. When gathering livestock it also gives you a chance to check and update your records.
Below we have provided two helpful checklists for sheep and cattle farmers, to help you keep compliant!
Sheep
- Check that no animals have misplaced tags. Now is the best time to replace them, and record it in the holding register
- Make sure movements on and off are up to date, and are both reported to ARAMS (where applicable) and recorded in the holding register. If your stock graze somebody else’s land, this may be a suitable time to look into a Temporary land association (TLA). TLAs allow you to associate your permanent holding number (CPH) with land/buildings on a separate CPH that are within 10 miles. When a TLA has been set up you then do not need to record or report livestock movements between the two holdings. This must be renewed each year.
- Do a headcount of sheep on your holding on 1st December. This must be submitted either on paper or online by 31st December, and the numbers also recorded in your holding register
- Record any deaths in the holding register
Cattle
- Familiarise first time calvers with aspects of the farm and buildings that they would not have yet seen. This will make it easier to handle them for management or if there are any problems at calving
- Heat detection collars are good devices for the younger stock, as it allows you to keep an eye on bulling without having to physically access the animal each day.
- Check all cattle are double tagged, and that the details on them are visible
- Check that movements and passports are up to date and correct
Being mindful of the above will help lead to a successful winter 2020 (if the British weather allows for it!).
If you need any further advice or help with cross compliance requirements relating to livestock, please contact us.
