Octobers Livestock Matters Newsletter Released
Issue 3 of the Livestock Matters newsletter has now been released (October 2016), and provides useful information for dairy and Bovine farmers including details on milk sample testing, insemination, tagging and the rare disease Microphthalmos. You can view the newsletter here.
Blue Tongue Virus type 8 (BTV-8) Vaccination Notification
Some farmers and smallholders have started to vaccinate susceptible livestock against BTV-8 in conjunction with their Vets. So far the Bailiwick’s ruminants appear to have avoided infection. It is sheep that are the sentinel species and would demonstrate obvious symptoms. Therefore there is still time to vaccinate livestock before BTV-8 arrives with midge incursions from France.
All keepers are reminded that they must provide Farm Services with a list of all animals that they have vaccinated once they have completed the vaccination course.
If keepers are undertaking vaccination themselves they must:
For the latest information on BTV-8 in France please follow the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537061/poa-btv8-france-update8.pdf
This notification was issued by David Chamberlain, the States Veterinary Officer on 7/9/2016
All keepers are reminded that they must provide Farm Services with a list of all animals that they have vaccinated once they have completed the vaccination course.
If keepers are undertaking vaccination themselves they must:
- Dispose of consumables, syringes and used vaccine bottles as clinical waste.
- Dispose of used hypodermic needles as sharps in a sharpsafe.
- Not use vaccine 10hr after opening the bottle.
- Not pass unused vaccine onto another livestock keeper without permission of their veterinarian.
- Not vaccinate ruminants less than 10 weeks of age.
- Record the vaccine batch number and expiry date in their medicine record book.
For the latest information on BTV-8 in France please follow the link below:
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/537061/poa-btv8-france-update8.pdf
This notification was issued by David Chamberlain, the States Veterinary Officer on 7/9/2016
Livestock Matters Newsletter
Farm Services and the States Veterinary Officer have issued a new newsletter for May 2016, which provides useful information for local farmers and smallholders who keep livestock. You can view the newsletter here.
Livestock Matters Newsletter
The States Vet publishes newsletters from time to time providing useful information for local farmers and smallholders who keep livestock. You can view them here as they are issued. The latest edition was issued February 2016.
Rules and Regulations on the Tagging of Livestock
Please ensure you read the rules and regulations issued by The Chamber of Commerce and Employment on the tagging of livestock in Guernsey. Please remember that all animals should be tagged before they are sold, moved or taken to slaughter. Full details can be found here.
Egg Show - La Viaer Marchi
On Monday 6 July 2015 at La Viaer Marchi in Saumarez Park we will be holding our second annual egg show, which was well supported last year and brought lots of complimentary comments from visitors.
Please click here to see full details of the event.
Please click here to see full details of the event.
Dealing with rats and mice
The new Animal Welfare Ordinance, which came into force in July 2014 (view our more detailed pages here) protects all animals, including those some may regard as pests or vermin. The law prohibits the taking, killing or harming of animals, but allows certain activities, including the killing of rats and mice.
But there are important provisos. Firstly, you can only trap or kill pests that are designated under the law, which means the Brown Rat and the House Mouse; other rodents, such as the Guernsey Vole, the Wood Mouse and the White-toothed Shrew, are not designated as pests and so remain under general protection. Secondly, you can only use approved traps or methods of killing that are listed by the law, such as the standard break-back traps designed for rats and mice, or rodent poison. And thirdly, these traps and methods can only be used within a building or curtilage of a building.
These provisions have been made by the Commerce & Employment Department by way of an Order - click here to view. The department has also issued a guidance note, which you can view here. These documents also cover the killing of pest birds - Carrion Crow, Magpie and Feral Pigeon.
As a related issue, click here for the C&E guidance note on killing game birds and animals.
But there are important provisos. Firstly, you can only trap or kill pests that are designated under the law, which means the Brown Rat and the House Mouse; other rodents, such as the Guernsey Vole, the Wood Mouse and the White-toothed Shrew, are not designated as pests and so remain under general protection. Secondly, you can only use approved traps or methods of killing that are listed by the law, such as the standard break-back traps designed for rats and mice, or rodent poison. And thirdly, these traps and methods can only be used within a building or curtilage of a building.
These provisions have been made by the Commerce & Employment Department by way of an Order - click here to view. The department has also issued a guidance note, which you can view here. These documents also cover the killing of pest birds - Carrion Crow, Magpie and Feral Pigeon.
As a related issue, click here for the C&E guidance note on killing game birds and animals.
Avian Influenza
December 2014 - The States Vet David Chamberlain has issued a reminder for poultry keepers to look out for signs of bird flu, and given guidance on how to prevent its spread.
Although there is no outbreak in the island, keepers are advised to;
The signs to look out for in your birds are;
Although there is no outbreak in the island, keepers are advised to;
- Keep poultry away from contact with wild birds as far as possible
- Keep food and water indoors
- Disinfect footwear before and after being in your birds’ enclosure
- Wash hands before and after contact with birds
- Keep the number of people entering the enclosure to a minimum
The signs to look out for in your birds are;
- Swollen head
- Blue discolouration of the head and neck
- Difficulty breathing, coughing, sneezing, rattling noise in the throat
- Drop in egg production
- Diarrhoea
Potential Nitrate poisoning from "fresh" spent mushroom compost
We have received the following advice notice from the States Vet David Chamberlain;
"I just wanted to bring to your members' attention a possible issue with the use of spent mushroom compost if ingested by livestock.
Following an enquiry from a citizen regarding the death of two chickens that possibly ingested some 'fresh' spent mushroom compost, I conducted some enquiries that may be of interest to your members.
Enquiries with the Crop Protection Department indicated that only two chemicals are used on mushrooms nowadays; a disinfectant, sodium hypochlorite (which would be inactivated by the time smallholders receive spent compost) and deltamethrin (which is very safe and has a zero hours with-hold period, i.e. you could spray it on mushrooms then harvest them immediately for human consumption). Neither of these chemicals is likely to be a cause of problems to livestock.
However, the Crop Protection Officer did say that spent mushroom compost is very high in Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N). Once spent mushroom compost has been composted by the smallholder the levels of these nutrients fall. However, fresh mushroom compost just out of the tunnels has very high levels of KPN. High KPN could be toxic to livestock, including fowl. Nitrate poisoning can damage the ability of blood to carry oxygen (anoxia) which in chickens would produce a purple comb."
Here is a link to a comprehensive article on the subject if you want to read up some more. Acknowledgements to Merkmanuals.com.
"I just wanted to bring to your members' attention a possible issue with the use of spent mushroom compost if ingested by livestock.
Following an enquiry from a citizen regarding the death of two chickens that possibly ingested some 'fresh' spent mushroom compost, I conducted some enquiries that may be of interest to your members.
Enquiries with the Crop Protection Department indicated that only two chemicals are used on mushrooms nowadays; a disinfectant, sodium hypochlorite (which would be inactivated by the time smallholders receive spent compost) and deltamethrin (which is very safe and has a zero hours with-hold period, i.e. you could spray it on mushrooms then harvest them immediately for human consumption). Neither of these chemicals is likely to be a cause of problems to livestock.
However, the Crop Protection Officer did say that spent mushroom compost is very high in Potassium (K), Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N). Once spent mushroom compost has been composted by the smallholder the levels of these nutrients fall. However, fresh mushroom compost just out of the tunnels has very high levels of KPN. High KPN could be toxic to livestock, including fowl. Nitrate poisoning can damage the ability of blood to carry oxygen (anoxia) which in chickens would produce a purple comb."
Here is a link to a comprehensive article on the subject if you want to read up some more. Acknowledgements to Merkmanuals.com.
The new animal welfare law
Way back in October 2008, the States gave itself the power to make new animal welfare legislation. Passed by the States in February 2012, the long anticipated Animal Welfare (Guernsey) Ordinance, 2012 came into force on 1 July 2014. The law only has effect in Guernsey, Herm and Jethou - not Sark or Alderney, where the existing regulations will remain.
The delay has partly been due to extensive consultations relating to the new codes and guidance recommendations for animal welfare, many of which have been completed; to go to the Commerce and Employment Department's web page that publishes these codes and guidance, click on this link.
The Ordinance is 150 pages of rules aimed at protecting animals from those who would cause them harm, and is therefore to be welcomed - it brings with it some red tape, but stong legislation is seldom pain free. It covers many areas, such as criminal offences of ill-treating animals; new rules protecting wild animals; the making of new codes for promoting the welfare of animals; regulating certain activities (not yet fully in force), animal shows and exhibitions; the licensing of animal experiments; and a new system for dealing with strays.
Click here to go to our Animal Welfare (Guernsey) Ordinance 2012 pages, where we have provided summaries of the most relevant parts of the new law; a new statutory duty of care, and some of the offences and exemptions.
To view a copy of the Ordinance itself, click here.
The delay has partly been due to extensive consultations relating to the new codes and guidance recommendations for animal welfare, many of which have been completed; to go to the Commerce and Employment Department's web page that publishes these codes and guidance, click on this link.
The Ordinance is 150 pages of rules aimed at protecting animals from those who would cause them harm, and is therefore to be welcomed - it brings with it some red tape, but stong legislation is seldom pain free. It covers many areas, such as criminal offences of ill-treating animals; new rules protecting wild animals; the making of new codes for promoting the welfare of animals; regulating certain activities (not yet fully in force), animal shows and exhibitions; the licensing of animal experiments; and a new system for dealing with strays.
Click here to go to our Animal Welfare (Guernsey) Ordinance 2012 pages, where we have provided summaries of the most relevant parts of the new law; a new statutory duty of care, and some of the offences and exemptions.
To view a copy of the Ordinance itself, click here.
Livestock Matters Newsletters
The States Vet publishes newsletters from time to time providing useful information for local farmers and smallholders who keep livestock. You can view them here as they are issued. The latest was Issue Five, published in January 2014.
New laws on livestock identification
On 1st January 2014 new regulations were introduced requiring the identification of small livestock, i.e. sheep, goats and pigs.
The Sheep and Goats (Identification and Notification) Order, 2013 and a similar Order for pigs set out new provisions made by the Commerce and Employment Department using powers it has under the 1996 Animal Health Ordinance.
The Sheep and Goats (Identification and Notification) Order, 2013 and a similar Order for pigs set out new provisions made by the Commerce and Employment Department using powers it has under the 1996 Animal Health Ordinance.
These two Orders place a duty on the keepers of small livestock to register with the department and to mark their animals with identification numbers.
Each keeper is allocated a unique six-digit 'Producer Number', starting with 157 in the case of sheep, 158 in the case of goats, and 159 in the case of pigs. There is no requirement to identify animals born before the introduction of the regulation as long as they are not:
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This means that animals kept as pets, which do not leave the place in which they are presently kept, do not need to be identified. Otherwise, they must be identified with the Producer Number and in certain circumstances with an individual animal number as well. The States Vet has produced a comprehensive guide to the new regulations, covering all the circumstances in which you have to identify your animal - click here to read the guide.
Equine Grass Sickness disease
February 2014 - The States Veterinary Officer has advised horse owners of the presence on the Island of the disease Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) which has been confirmed by laboratory analysis at the Animal Health Trust to be the cause of the recent death of a horse.
EGS is a debilitating and predominantly fatal disease affecting grazing horses, ponies, and donkeys. There is no evidence that EGS occurs in other animals or humans. There are three recognised forms of EGS; acute, sub-acute and chronic, depending upon the speed of onset of the disease and the time a horse survives. Currently there is no specific treatment or preventative treatment available so any treatment is aimed at managing symptoms. If it is not possible to manage the symptoms that distress the horse, then euthanasia should be considered to avoid unnecessary suffering.
The recent occurrence of EGS in Guernsey may well have been caused by this winter’s unusual weather, triggering rapid grass growth and the rapid increase in levels of the causative bacteria in the horse’s gut.
Clinical signs of EGS include:
The cause of EGS has not been definitively resolved, but there is increasing evidence suggesting that it may be the result of infection involving a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum Type C. Clostridium botulinum is a normal inhabitant of the intestine of animals and humans and is found widely in the outdoor environment, especially soil. It is suggested that EGS occurs following ingestion of Clostridium botulinum from the environment at the same time as other risk factors. The majority of clinical signs are related to paralysis within the digestive tract due to nerve damage caused by the release of a toxin by the bacteria.
When disease is confirmed horse owners are advised to remove remaining horses from the field where the disease occurred. If horse owners have any concerns regarding EGS they are advise to contact their own private veterinary surgeons.
The document ‘Risk Factors Associated with EGS’ has been provided by the UK Animal Health Trust for local information. Click here to read the guide.
EGS is a debilitating and predominantly fatal disease affecting grazing horses, ponies, and donkeys. There is no evidence that EGS occurs in other animals or humans. There are three recognised forms of EGS; acute, sub-acute and chronic, depending upon the speed of onset of the disease and the time a horse survives. Currently there is no specific treatment or preventative treatment available so any treatment is aimed at managing symptoms. If it is not possible to manage the symptoms that distress the horse, then euthanasia should be considered to avoid unnecessary suffering.
The recent occurrence of EGS in Guernsey may well have been caused by this winter’s unusual weather, triggering rapid grass growth and the rapid increase in levels of the causative bacteria in the horse’s gut.
Clinical signs of EGS include:
- abdominal pain
- disruption of normal propulsive ability of the intestine
- difficulty eating and poor appetite
- increased heart rate
- patchy sweating
- increase saliva in the mouth and possible dribbling
- drooping of the upper eyelid
- reduced nasal secretions resulting in a crusty nose
- involuntary muscle twitching and weakness
- depression
The cause of EGS has not been definitively resolved, but there is increasing evidence suggesting that it may be the result of infection involving a bacteria called Clostridium botulinum Type C. Clostridium botulinum is a normal inhabitant of the intestine of animals and humans and is found widely in the outdoor environment, especially soil. It is suggested that EGS occurs following ingestion of Clostridium botulinum from the environment at the same time as other risk factors. The majority of clinical signs are related to paralysis within the digestive tract due to nerve damage caused by the release of a toxin by the bacteria.
When disease is confirmed horse owners are advised to remove remaining horses from the field where the disease occurred. If horse owners have any concerns regarding EGS they are advise to contact their own private veterinary surgeons.
The document ‘Risk Factors Associated with EGS’ has been provided by the UK Animal Health Trust for local information. Click here to read the guide.
African Swine Fever in Europe
March 2014 - The States Vet has advised local pig keepers that African Swine Fever, a highly contagious, exotic disease of pigs has been confirmed in wild boar in Poland and Lithuania. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has completed preliminary risk assessments of African Swine Fever breaking out in the UK, which you can read here. For more information about the disease itself please click here.
The assessments are clear: the risk of introduction to the UK is very low and chiefly concerns the movement of illegal products of animal origin, such as dried meats, sausages and other pork products and consequent illegal feeding of swill to domestic pigs. Similarly, in the Bailiwick of Guernsey biosecurity to prevent introduction of any exotic disease is strongly advised. |
The BPEX Biosecurity leaflet is a comprehensive guide and local pig keepers are advised to adopt as many of the recommended measures as practicable for their own situation. Click here to read the guide.
The new slaughterhouse
The States Vet, David Chamberlain, has issued a newsletter bringing us up to date with the development of the new slaughterhouse at Longue Hougue, next to the recycling yard and the incinerator. The old building at Castle Emplacement closed on 2 September 2013.
The new facility is undergoing final snagging and fine-tuning work, and it is anticipated that it will be awarded full slaughter licence status by the end of September. In the meantime, it has a provisional slaughter licence, and can operate to provide meat fit for human consumption in the normal way. More training and licensing work will take place during October, and at the end of that month the facility should be fully licensed to produce meat from cattle over 30 months of age, which the old slaughterhouse was not licensed to do, and to export meat to the UK and Europe. See full details on the newsletter here.
The new facility is undergoing final snagging and fine-tuning work, and it is anticipated that it will be awarded full slaughter licence status by the end of September. In the meantime, it has a provisional slaughter licence, and can operate to provide meat fit for human consumption in the normal way. More training and licensing work will take place during October, and at the end of that month the facility should be fully licensed to produce meat from cattle over 30 months of age, which the old slaughterhouse was not licensed to do, and to export meat to the UK and Europe. See full details on the newsletter here.
A second newletter has been issued giving guidance and advice on how to present animals for slaughter - if your animals are filthy, you will be turned away. Also, transport bedding material in the vehicle or trailer will have to be put into a receptacle for incineration on-site, and the vehilce/trailer cleaned in the new vehicle-wash before leaving. There will also be more animal identification regulations brought in, which you will have to comply with before your animal will be accepted. See the useful info section at the bottom of this page for animal cleanliness guides. You can view the second newsletter here.
Consultation on tethering
Following concerns raised about the tethering of cattle during cold weather at the start 2013, the Commerce and Employment Department issued a consultation document on a proposal to regulate tethering through a system of licencing, which would be introduced under the new Animal Welfare Ordinance due to come into effect later in 2013.
The document set out draft licence conditions and guidance, and the department was keen to gather views on the proposal, which could also be extended to include goats and horses. You can see the consultation document here or on the States website at www.gov.gg. The consultation period closed on 9 August 2013. |
Fowl Pox disease suspected in Guernsey chickens
A suspected case of Fowl Pox has been notified to the States Vet by a vigilant poultry keeper and the small flock of affected chickens has been slaughtered - this disease is caused by a virus and can also affect pigeons and turkeys.
This is a notifiable disease in Guernsey and Jersey, but not in the UK, and does not entail compulsory slaughter, although this might be preferred as an option in order to prevent the spread of this unpleasant and infectious disease. The virus causes dry 'pocks' on the non-feathered parts of the head and can persist for months in the scabs which fall from affected birds. |
You can find out more about the disease at the poultrykeeper.com website and there are numerous images available on the Internet.
If you have chickens, please check them carefully and if you suspect the disease may be present, you must do the following;
If you have chickens, please check them carefully and if you suspect the disease may be present, you must do the following;
- report it immediately to the States Vet at Commerce and Employment Department, Raymond Falla House in Burnt Lane, St Martin's, tel: 234567
- isolate the bird(s) until told otherwise by the States Vet
- keep all susceptible birds and carcasses, including hatching eggs, on the premises, and
- comply with reasonable requests for information made by the States Vet
New born lambs
Some lovely pictures of Roger Burton's new lambs, taken by Paul Robinson. The white ewe lamb was born on 21 February 2013 and the ewe lamb with some brown colouring (not dirt!) was born on 25 February 2013. Both lambs will be kept if they grow well.
The lambs were ok at first during the few days of snow in March as they hid behind their mothers in a calf hutch. They were all taken into horse boxes on the morning after the snow fell where they were very happy for a day or so. The snow stayed for the rest of the week but they were allowed back out because they made such a din - Roger was sure they thought they were in prison! |
Here's a gallery of the new woolly family, including the ewe mums. Hover over the picture if you want to control the auto-scroll.
Snow time!An unusual experience for some Guernsey chickens - these are six years old so they've seen it briefly before, and it didn't seem to faze them too much. They were skulking in the coop until 10.00 am when I made the trek to their enclosure, but once they were "encouraged out" they seemed happy to stay in the open and have a good look round.
A generous helping of wheat and some fresh water for them, six eggs collected for me, and I was back home in front of the fire. How did yours get on? Send us in some pictures of your livestock enjoying the snow! Email to [email protected] |
Waterfowl - by Roger BurtonThe title is waterfowl, but I'll stick to domestic breeds of ducks and geese. I accept that some people keep types of swan (white, black, Trumpeter, etc.,) and/or ornamental duck (Mandarins, Carolinas, Whistling Ducks, Teal, Shelducks, etc.) and I enjoy seeing those, but I, as a smallholder, want something more from my stock. Ducks and geese are quite hardy and may not be as difficult to keep as one might imagine.
Click here to read Roger's article |
Guernsey's slaughterhouse moveSee above for the up to date story on the new facility.
The new building was approved by the States in March 2012, at a projected cost of £2 million. The plans were later amended to accommodate some changes, and the brand new facility was completed in August 2013, licensed for business in September. The old, but good looking Victorian building (pictured on the right) was hopelessly inadequate for its role and didn't meet modern standards for this sort of facility. The new building will allow more locally produced beef to be processed, as there were around 450 cows slaughtered each year that were unavailable for beef, a large number of which, with the new facilities, could be used for human consumption. The site for the new building at Longue Hougue, next to the existing cattle carcase incinerator, was preferred to the only other possible site identified at St Andrew's Quarry. |
Due to savings and increased efficiency, it is hoped the new building will pay for itself within 15 years. The former arrangements meant the States had to pay compensation to farmers as only cows under 30 months old could be used for meat consumption - the new facility will remove this cost to the States. See the useful info section below for some guidance leaflets on presenting cattle and sheep for slaughter, and red meat safety. |
Feeding food waste to livestock
So, is it okay to give them scraps from the kitchen?
The local law seems pretty straightforward on this - you cannot use any meat or egg-related products (even if they have been cooked) to feed to your livestock. The rules specifically cover cattle, sheep, pigs and goats, as well as all types of poultry including ducks, geese and turkeys, so don't serve them any part of any animal or bird, or anything derived from them, and no eggs or eggshells. Any vegetable waste from the kitchen can be given, such as peelings and leftovers, but only if it hasn't been in contact with the meat and eggy stuff mentioned above (I expect the dog would be pleased to help out there). |
Sheep notes, by Rose and Robin Penna
Notes from Spring We've just returned from a brief visit to Wales and drove up through the centre to Snowdonia. Every field and hill and mountainside seemed to be covered with new born lambs and when we walked up a mountain the air was filled with the distinctive sound of ewes and lambs calling each other. Normally we would have about twenty lambs from our own small flock by this time of year and be wasting a lot of time watching their mad antics as they dash about in a frenzy. Click here to read the rest of Rose and Robin's article |
Useful information
These are full versions and may take a moment to appear
- Slaughterhouse Rules on cattle cleanliness - pdf download; don't turn up at the slaughterhouse with a grubby cow
- Clean Sheep for slaughter - pdf download; an excellent comprehensive guide
- Red Meat Safety - pdf download; Food Standards Agency guidance on hygiene
Getting started in keeping livestock
Are you an experienced keeper of sheep? Have you had a go at rearing pigs for the freezer? Have you been a regular at the slaughterhouse every year with your fattened calf? This site needs a section to help those aspiring to raise livestock for meat so how about sending us an email at [email protected] with some of your top tips for rearing animals, and we'll do the rest. Or, if you fancy, write a short (or long) piece yourself and we'll post it here. We'd also love to use photos of your furred or feathered charges, even if you don't compose an article, so please feel free to send them in.
In the meantime, for some comprehensive articles for new livestock keepers, see the excellent Accidental Smallholder website.
In the meantime, for some comprehensive articles for new livestock keepers, see the excellent Accidental Smallholder website.