castrating and de horning

whelan1

this is a question for a friend who had a visit from dept of ag guys who said that the animals should all be dehorned - they are around a year and most of them are angus so only 4 have horns - also that all the males should be castrated by now and that the farmer will get a wriiten warning on this - this farmer has no single farm payment and not in the suckler scheme what are your views i thought an animal only had to be skulled if going to mart as for the castrating could they say they are doing bull beef?

ravima

as far as I know, only pedigree animals can be kept horned.

As he has no sfp,he might write back to them when he gets this "written warning" to tell them that the letter was used as toilet paper.

He will have to dehorn if he wants to sell them of course.

As for castrating ...I've never heard such nonsense.He can rear them as bulls if he wants to.

In theory the dept could withdraw his herd number-but there would have to be a damn good reason... not irrelevant nonsense like this.

whelan1

thats what i was saying it sounds like a load of crap ... the dept just seem to have something against these people the dept took their herd register in february and only gave it back yesterday !!! the castrating thing is so stupid but what do they do ? i could understand if sfp was at stake etc

adne

The Dept is talking bull on the castration thing........ (get it :p)

snowman707

AFAIK

an animal has only to be dehorned if offered for sale at a public place i.e as you say the mart. we had a horned imported limousin cow which we showed on a few occasions a number of years ago, & never got any comments from the Dept guys checking her card & movement permit.

Also should not see any problem with the bulls if they are not used for breeding, however if he does decide to castrate them, might be better get a vet to do it & a cert re same in case they come after him on animal welfare grounds.

Bitten & Hisses

Isn't there still some archaic, seldom-enforced law about how bulls must be inspected? If they're pedigree they're exempt.

whelan1

i think this guy just has it against these poor people brought a camcorder when doing tb test a few months ago it just doesnt sound right

djmc

Tell them to complain to the department and the ombusman and that they dont want to deal with him again