Saturday 20 February 2016

A Smallholding Plonker.

Not had much to say recently.  So I had a bit of a blog break.  Of course I still read all the blogs I follow.   Just been on a bit of a downer that's all.  The weather doesn't help when you feel depressed.

Talking of a downer.  I found a buyer for the cattle last week.  He came to see the bovine lad and lasses and we talked for about an hour.  Of course he didn't offer me the price I wanted.  But I couldn't be mithered (people from up north word) going to mart and paying commission, vat and coming home disappointed.  No I always choose to lose it at home than at the mart.  

Anyway.  Without going all around the houses.  We agreed a sale with the farmer and said we would fax off for the permits to move the cattle from farm to farm.  This big envelope came on Wednesday from the department.  We presumed they were the permits, so we didn't open the envelope until the next morning.  When we opened it we found a note and a code telling us the cattle hadn't been tested for TB.  

We had bought them in last June, after our annual test from Dairy farms.  Who can sell them without a test if they are under six weeks old.  This means that dropped calves can be sold to farmers or at the mart without a test?  

How is this so and why didn't I check my cattle cards to see if they had been tested?  Because (never start a sentence with because) I am a plonker and because Dairy farmers don't need to test dropped calves.  Surely if they fed the calf for six weeks and tested them.  You would have far stronger calves, free from TB and their mother's wouldn't be stressed having their young took away from them for the milk?

26 comments:

  1. Chin up old friend...spring is on the way!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Spring can't come quick enough John. Loved your latest post. Haven't laughed like that for ages. It was like something out of the Vicar of Dibley - brilliant!

      Delete
  2. Your cattle have it good. A big truck carrying 40 or 50 cattle crashed on the autobahn near Vienna a couple of weeks ago. About 35 were killed or had to be put down. What happened to the 10 remaining we don't know. They are probably in burgers by down. The animals had been in the truck for many hours. Greenpeace woman was playing merry hell on the radio. Disgusting the way we treat animals, she said. They were on their way to the knackers yard somewhere near Hungarian border , coming all the way from Tirol. I agree with that woman. Maybe the 10 that survived are in burgers or kebabs now. One king size adrenaline burger with fries just about kill you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gwil. The autobahn crash sounds horrendous. There is no need for live cattle to be taken long distances to abattoirs. I don't like live exports either. Thanks!

      Delete
    2. I can remember seeing a truck-full of Pigs being parked outside a nearby village bar. It was a sweltering hot day, and the driver was having a few beers. Those poor Pigs; I so wanted to go and punch the driver, but I would have ended-up in prison. Maybe it would have been worth it.

      Delete
    3. Always seems strange to me, why transport live animals when they can be slaughtered at home then transport the carcasses?

      Delete
    4. Totally agree Cumbrian. I like the organic ruling that says that cattle should be killed at local abattoirs.

      Delete
    5. I bet it made your blood boil Cro. I don't see the need to transport live animals hundred of miles to go the slaughter houses. The EEC even allows live exports to countries that don't kill farm animals humanely. Thanks!

      Delete
  3. What bad luck, but hope it gets sorted without too much expense. We have been hit hard by the cost of feed this winter, made worse by having to supplement the grazing which we lost during the very long, hot, and endless summer last year. We keep telling ourselves it is worth it, but sometimes.......!!!! Hope the weather gets better for you soon....as John says, 'Spring is on the way!'

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You sound like you are having some bad luck also Vera. Don't ever work out how much you spend or you will be disappointed. Most smallholders get little or no single farm payments from the EEC. Our farm insurance costs more than our farm payments. Thanks for your comment Vera.

      Delete
  4. Bad luck Dave, I hope it doesn't cost you the sale.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Anne. No I don't mind feeding them for another week or so. I am more frustrated that the department movement form didn't state: "All cattle over six weeks must be tested for TB before they can be moved from farm to farm."

      I have never understood why sheep and pigs don't need to be testing or calves under 6 weeks. Especially when they are being sold at a mart. Anybody know? Thanks!

      Delete
  5. Tough luck Dave. I get hot under the collar when I read the paperwork that accompanies any livestock nowadays. I read and re-read it and still wonder if I have it right! Hope your grazing is holding up with all this wet this winter.
    Gill

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Gill. Yes there is a lot of red tape involved with farming these days. I know farmers who pay agricultural advisors to do their paperwork. We have had paperwork sent back because we put in the wrong number for the cattle's ear tag. Once had to take my bullock home from the mart because he had lost his ear tag in the cattle box. They wouldn't let us sell him until we sent off for a replacement tag.

    The cattle have only been out for one day this winter. The slatted tank needs to be emptied soon. Will pay some one to agitate and rain gun it out on the land. More expense. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hey Dave, I did a course on all of the paperwork etc when we did a small holding course at the agricultural college. Is the paperwork different over there? a lot of it is on line now, over here

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Sol. I think the paper work in Ireland is very similar to Blighty. They just have different names for departments and farm schemes. Cattle movement can be done on-line but the buyer and the seller have to be set up online (passwords..) to do this. Our cattle buyer doesn't have the Internet so we had to use snail mail - post!

    Been waiting for your excellent next post on selling houses Sol.

    Quick question. Can you claim your expenses for estate agent costs against your Capital Gains Tax? Most estate agents want 2 percent. Is this the normal/usual fee? Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dave I just text my Niece and she said there is a handy page on the UK gov site. Here is the link

      https://www.gov.uk/tax-sell-property/work-out-your-gain

      in short the answer looks like yes you can offset. I would check this with your solicitor. You can also claim for any extension work/improvements etc read the site carefully and take further advise. I am unsure if your property has been inheritted. There maybe different taxation codes for this and you maybe able to claim more back. For the small fee of a solicitor or a tax expert I think it would be worth paying them to get concise advise and to make sure you are correct. as it could make the difference of thousands to you.

      So read the site, looks like solicitors fees FOR THE SALE ONLY and estate agents fees.

      I hope this garbled answer is of assistance.

      Delete
    2. next installment will probably be Tuesday. I have lost my blogging mojo. I just dont seem to be with it at the moment prefering to just comment.

      Delete
    3. I always look forward to reading the blogs I follow Sol. I know what you mean about losing your writing and blogging mojo. I think commenting on blogs will make the blog writing flow again. Hope so.

      Delete
    4. Forgot to say thanks for the very helpful advice. You confirmed what I thought.

      Delete
  9. Replies
    1. Thanks Rachel. Great win for the Red Devils last night. Are you looking forward to playing Barcelona?

      Delete
  10. Bad luck but thank you for reminding me of that great word 'plonker'. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Carole. I think Del Boy is the one we should thank for the word: 'plonker'.

      Delete
  11. hey dave have you deen the programme "new life in the sun"

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Sol. No I haven't seen until tonight - thanks! We are going to watch Bargain Brits In The Sun on Channel 5 tonight. Imagine 300+ days of sunshine?

    ReplyDelete

Onion Set Planting.

I still managed to plant up two of the new planters/raised beds with onion sets in the rain yesterday. Notice the white root sock in the com...