Secretary's Notes
   

31/01/2012

 

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS
Please follow the farming press. Schmallenberg Virus is new in the UK. As of today there are 11 cases.
The summary that follows here is from the Nick Clayton of the Goat Veterinary Society.
This link gives information about the disease.

SCHMALLENBERG VIRUS UPDATE (from Nick Clayton).
AHVLA have announced this afternoon that there are now 11 premises in England with confirmed cases of SBV. All the cases are in sheep and the counties involved are  Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Kent, and East Sussex.

The other significant change is that France announced on Thursday that they had 2 confirmed infected premise.  This seemed to miss the attention of the UK until Saturday when France announced that the case numbers had risen to 13, and as of today, the number of premises in France is  now 26. All appear to be in sheep, and all are in the North East of France, but well scattered, ranging from the Moselle region in the German borders, to around Caen on the English Channel.

For the record, the current number of CONFIRMED infected premises elsewhere in Europe is from the latest information available, Germany 106. ( 8 cattle farms, 92 sheep farms, and 6 goat farms. Holland 87, 2 in cattle, 72 in sheep and 2 in goats, and  Belgium has 62 premises, with no species breakdown given.

One thing to bear in mind when looking at statistics is that once the disease is confirmed on a premises, the symptoms are usually pretty obvious and therefore it becomes uneccessary to continue to submit foetuses for post mortem.  Only the individually confirmed cases however qualify to become a statistic.  Reports from Holland and Germany, and also on this mornings Farming Today, which you can catch up on by going to   http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01b9jnk#synopsis    are suggesting 25% abortion rates in sheep.

I will keep you posted on any further significant developments.

Nick Clayton.
   
17/01/2012 A series of workshops sponsored by Defra and organised by ADAS Health and Welfare Workshops

Goat Keeping in 2012 Are We Really Fulfilling Their Needs?

ADAS invites you to the first Defra-funded meetings for goat keepers designed to provide practical and technical advice to increase the health and welfare of the goat herd in England. Goats are susceptible to a number of health and welfare problems – the more important of which will be covered at these evening events:
The Goats Welfare needs in 2012 (David Harwood BVetMed, MRCVS and Honorary veterinary surgeon to the British Goat  Society,) Kid Rearing – Importance of Attention to Detail (Sue Smith/ Dreda Randall – independent specialist goat producers) Goat Health (David Harwood BVetMed, MRCVS,)
Enterotoxaemia Internal and external parasites Lameness Discussion panel In addition, the panel will further discuss any husbandry practices that can impact on goat welfare such as ear tagging and disbudding. Evening workshops (7 pm to 9.30 pm) will be held throughout January and February 2012; and are free to all commercial, and small scale goat keepers. Places are however limited and must be pre-booked.

1st February 2012
Launceston		 8 th February 2012
Worcester		 15th February 2012
Sheffield
2 nd February 2012
Shepton Mallet		 9 th  February 2012
Peterborough		 16 th February 2012
Durham

If you are interested in attending please contact Georgie Fomes on 01354 697200 or email georgie.fomes@adas.co.uk

 
   
12/01/2012 The 2012 BGS calendars have sold out
   
14/12/2011 Wishing all members and visitors to this site, a happy Christmas & peaceful New Year
The office is closed between December 21st & January 3rd 2012
   
07/12/2011 A notice from David Harwood of the Goat Veterinary Society

Dear Members in the SE:
I have been asked to run a short series of four Defra funded goat "training / discussion" meetings set up by the Livestock Health South East initiative.  Each meeting will run from 10.00am until 2.00pm, with a break for lunch.
I am the only speaker - and my remit is to cover the major health and welfare problems affecting goats in the UK - looking specifically at how to undertake some control measures for conditions covered.  I'm also going to cover some basics - as Defra hope that meetings may attract less experienced goat owners in addittion to those already established (as on this forum).  I intend to make each meeting very open and informal - and we can discuss any issues that arise either from what I cover (in addition to those items I don't cover).
Meetings are at:
Winchester - 9th December (this Friday).
Asford, Kent - 12th December.
Warnham, W Sussex - 9th January.
Thame, Oxon - 13th January.
Further details and to book a place - contact:
Sharon Smith - 01306 628086
Any other queries - I'm happy to try and answer - hope youi're able to support this, we rarely get money out of Defra for goats.
David Harwood

 
24/11/2011 Would all members how have used the online Grassroots system for registrations and transfers but not paid please bring their account up to date immediately. Please contact the office if you have any queries.
   
11/11/2011 The next Herd Book closes on 30th November.
PayPal is now working through the "Members Online " link. You can use this to pay for your own registrations, transfers and membership renewal.
All show results have been completed for 2011 and are available to view through your "Members Online" link. The final booklet of results & index for all shows will accompany the November Journal. The results are also available through the website www.allgoats.org.uk and Show Results 2011
   
05/10/2011 VOTING PAPERS
Voting papers were sent out to all members of the British Goat Society in respect of the proposal to alter Rule 17 and Rule 18(2).
There was an amendment included in respect of Rule 17.
It has been pointed out that the voting paper does not allow for those members who wish to keep the status quo – i.e. vote against the proposal AND the amendment.
It is therefore felt necessary to re-run the voting in respect of the proposal and amendment. It is further felt that it would be sensible to include the voting for the proposal to alter Rule 18(2).
New revised voting papers will be distributed with the October Monthly Journal with a new closing date.
I apologise unreservedly for this oversight and ask members for their understanding.

Richard Wood
Chairman

   
21/07/2011 Kids are approaching 6 months old please note that registrations cost double between 6 months and two years of age. From 6months of age (Females £16 each; Males £40 each)
   
10/05/2011 Birth Notifications (BN). Would you please note, you must include the individual ear tag number, your holding number alone will not be accepted and the kid therefore cannot be Birth Notified.
   
13/02/11 Birth Notification for online registrations is now available.
   
26/01/11 This is a new page. Please watch here for current news
  Your membership became due on Janaury 1st. If you pay by standing order (Bankers order) and have not updated your order from £30.00 to £33.00 (single membership) or from £33.00 to £36.50 (for partnership memebrships) would you please send a cheque to the BGS office.
For the full list of fees click here.