B&B movements are relatively infrequent but for the farmers involved they can be an important means of increasing housing or accessing feed. The latter may be particularly beneficial for some farmers this year with stock brought to forage rather than transporting large volumes of feed and water and contending with weight restrictions if purchasing silage.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2018 revised the procedures for the application for the recording of movements of bovine animals between one holding and another holding. With effect from 1 June 2018 the feedlot movement type facility under which herd keepers may have applied to record B and B movements was removed. It should be noted that a B and B movement on the Animal Identification & Movement system (AIM) is now treated no differently to a farm to farm movement.
The movement of all bovine animals between holdings, including those between B and B type holdings are governed by strict regulations while there are also numerous important considerations that need to be taken account of. In its simplest definition a B and B movement involves animals moving from the owner’s herd number into the herd number of the receiving holding (offering accommodation/feeding) which then becomes the keeper.
For the movement to work, both parties must have an active herd number with no restrictions on the herd while all animals must be within test in terms of TB. Approval must be sought from the Department of Agriculture before animals move and this can be requested and received through a farmer’s agfood.ie account or by hardcopy means by sending the Department’s NBAS 31B certificate of compliance to your local District Veterinary Office (DVO) to gain approval.
Forms can be accessed at www.agriculture.gov.ie or by contacting your local DVO.
Control relinquished
Once a movement has taken place, it must be notified to the Department through agfood.ie or by both parties signing the certificate of compliance and submitting it to the Cattle Movement Notification Agency within seven days of movement.
It is critical to note that at this stage the person receiving the animals now becomes the person responsible for them (the keeper of the animals) and must also be furnished with animal passports (blue cards) for the period animals are on the farm.
The Department has no role in B&B movements outside of disease identification and surveillance and therefore has no input as to where animals move thereafter if there are no restrictions on movement related to disease.
There may be some confusion between the requirements imposed on a ‘keeper’ of bovines under European law and the issue of ownership. For this reason legal advice strongly advises that the parties involved draw up a contract, similar to that used in the case of a contract rearing agreement that protects all parties involved.
TB implications
The occurrence of TB in either herd will result in immediate movement restrictions. The movement of any animal from a restricted herd, other than directly to slaughter, is prohibited. The only movement which can be facilitated is where there are animal welfare concerns with an example of this being in-calf dairy animals calving down on a farm where there are no facilities to milk cows.
The Department advises that this permission to move test-negative animals from a B&B or contract-rearing farm is dependent on a low-disease risk and assessment by the regional veterinary office who will discuss and outline all options in such a situation.
Such a movement will not interfere with a farmer’s right to TB compensation if an animal is subsequently identified as a reactor in the herd. It is also important to note that any animals older than six weeks of age must be subjected to a 30-day pre-movement test in order to qualify for compensation.
If TB occurs and animals are being retained in a B&B or contract-rearing facility, the Department will pay any compensation due to the herd owner of the holding on which the animals are retained. The Department also advises farmers to place due regard to these eventualities by having them covered in a written contractual agreement.
Another important element to note is that restrictions also apply to inconclusive reactor animals which test clear when retested. The Department advise these animals are restricted for life to the herd of disclosure and can only be moved direct to slaughter or, in exceptional circumstances, on foot of a movement permit directly to a feedlot for onward movement direct to slaughter.
Other important factors
There are a number of other important factors that often pass unnoticed when agreeing to move animals but ones which can cause significant difficulties down the line. These include the following:
QPS bonus: B&B movements count as two movements as the QPS counts the number of farm residencies the animal resided in. This will contribute to an animal’s lifetime movements and may have a negative effect for beef animals which will be slaughtered under 30 months of age if it ends up pushing the animal into the four-movement category rendering it ineligible for payment of the 12c/kg quality payment scheme bonus. Also, transferring slaughter-fit animals back to the owner pre-sale will also affect the final 70-day residency period.
If animals are slaughtered directly out of the herd offering B&B, the owner of the animals if they do so desire should insure that they are paid directly for the animals rather than the current herd keeper.
Insurance: There may be more people entering the farm where B&B movements are practised and as such it is no harm to investigate if additional insurance cover or a tweak to the policy is required.Variable costs: Feed costs are obviously first discussed when negotiating rates for B&B movements. It is also important however to discuss aspects such as electricity or water costs where sheds are being rented or elements such as who is responsible for spreading slurry or dung produced. Note that this may also warrant recording of importing or exporting organic fertilisers if moving off the farm where it is produced.
Performance and mortality: It is also important to agree an acceptable level of performance at the outset. Injuries or mortality are a source of contention. Rare or unavoidable cases are generally covered by the owner of animals but if caused by poor management or negligence then this should be accounted for in the primary agreement.
B&B movements are relatively infrequent but for the farmers involved they can be an important means of increasing housing or accessing feed. The latter may be particularly beneficial for some farmers this year with stock brought to forage rather than transporting large volumes of feed and water and contending with weight restrictions if purchasing silage.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in 2018 revised the procedures for the application for the recording of movements of bovine animals between one holding and another holding. With effect from 1 June 2018 the feedlot movement type facility under which herd keepers may have applied to record B and B movements was removed. It should be noted that a B and B movement on the Animal Identification & Movement system (AIM) is now treated no differently to a farm to farm movement.
The movement of all bovine animals between holdings, including those between B and B type holdings are governed by strict regulations while there are also numerous important considerations that need to be taken account of. In its simplest definition a B and B movement involves animals moving from the owner’s herd number into the herd number of the receiving holding (offering accommodation/feeding) which then becomes the keeper.
For the movement to work, both parties must have an active herd number with no restrictions on the herd while all animals must be within test in terms of TB. Approval must be sought from the Department of Agriculture before animals move and this can be requested and received through a farmer’s agfood.ie account or by hardcopy means by sending the Department’s NBAS 31B certificate of compliance to your local District Veterinary Office (DVO) to gain approval.
Forms can be accessed at www.agriculture.gov.ie or by contacting your local DVO.
Control relinquished
Once a movement has taken place, it must be notified to the Department through agfood.ie or by both parties signing the certificate of compliance and submitting it to the Cattle Movement Notification Agency within seven days of movement.
It is critical to note that at this stage the person receiving the animals now becomes the person responsible for them (the keeper of the animals) and must also be furnished with animal passports (blue cards) for the period animals are on the farm.
The Department has no role in B&B movements outside of disease identification and surveillance and therefore has no input as to where animals move thereafter if there are no restrictions on movement related to disease.
There may be some confusion between the requirements imposed on a ‘keeper’ of bovines under European law and the issue of ownership. For this reason legal advice strongly advises that the parties involved draw up a contract, similar to that used in the case of a contract rearing agreement that protects all parties involved.
TB implications
The occurrence of TB in either herd will result in immediate movement restrictions. The movement of any animal from a restricted herd, other than directly to slaughter, is prohibited. The only movement which can be facilitated is where there are animal welfare concerns with an example of this being in-calf dairy animals calving down on a farm where there are no facilities to milk cows.
The Department advises that this permission to move test-negative animals from a B&B or contract-rearing farm is dependent on a low-disease risk and assessment by the regional veterinary office who will discuss and outline all options in such a situation.
Such a movement will not interfere with a farmer’s right to TB compensation if an animal is subsequently identified as a reactor in the herd. It is also important to note that any animals older than six weeks of age must be subjected to a 30-day pre-movement test in order to qualify for compensation.
If TB occurs and animals are being retained in a B&B or contract-rearing facility, the Department will pay any compensation due to the herd owner of the holding on which the animals are retained. The Department also advises farmers to place due regard to these eventualities by having them covered in a written contractual agreement.
Another important element to note is that restrictions also apply to inconclusive reactor animals which test clear when retested. The Department advise these animals are restricted for life to the herd of disclosure and can only be moved direct to slaughter or, in exceptional circumstances, on foot of a movement permit directly to a feedlot for onward movement direct to slaughter.
Other important factors
There are a number of other important factors that often pass unnoticed when agreeing to move animals but ones which can cause significant difficulties down the line. These include the following:
QPS bonus: B&B movements count as two movements as the QPS counts the number of farm residencies the animal resided in. This will contribute to an animal’s lifetime movements and may have a negative effect for beef animals which will be slaughtered under 30 months of age if it ends up pushing the animal into the four-movement category rendering it ineligible for payment of the 12c/kg quality payment scheme bonus. Also, transferring slaughter-fit animals back to the owner pre-sale will also affect the final 70-day residency period.
If animals are slaughtered directly out of the herd offering B&B, the owner of the animals if they do so desire should insure that they are paid directly for the animals rather than the current herd keeper.
Insurance: There may be more people entering the farm where B&B movements are practised and as such it is no harm to investigate if additional insurance cover or a tweak to the policy is required.Variable costs: Feed costs are obviously first discussed when negotiating rates for B&B movements. It is also important however to discuss aspects such as electricity or water costs where sheds are being rented or elements such as who is responsible for spreading slurry or dung produced. Note that this may also warrant recording of importing or exporting organic fertilisers if moving off the farm where it is produced.
Performance and mortality: It is also important to agree an acceptable level of performance at the outset. Injuries or mortality are a source of contention. Rare or unavoidable cases are generally covered by the owner of animals but if caused by poor management or negligence then this should be accounted for in the primary agreement.
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