Export News

from Christine Ball

BGS Overseas representative gap

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I prefer e-mail contact info@goatgenetics.com
Tel 01785 824897 or (mobile) 0790 3763670
02/10/07

Cyprus – my husband Keith & I left Roland & Dreda Randall's * Monach Farm *, Cambs with 65 goats (6 male kids, 6 goatlings & 53 female kids) on Aug 1 st (1 hr late due to the export documents not arriving on time).

The goats ended up doing 35 days standstill (in isolation at Monach Farm) five more days than usual due to a last minute rejection of our approved route plan by Bury St.Edmunds AHDO (two days before we were due to leave home).

I believe DEFRA already suspected the first FMD case as Fred Landeg's statement of Aug 8th (on the internet) indicates the first lesions were observed on July 29th . We were held at Dover for six hours together with a shipment of cattle (Limousins I think) for Poland. Some cattle had been picked up in Scotland and I think the rest maybe came from Surrey. Online news states that one shipment of cattle for Poland left the FMD surveillance zone in Surrey between July 5 th & Aug 1st .

All our DEFRA paperwork was photocopied at Dover. The 7 hr total delay shot my Journey Log to pieces even before we left the UK.

We received news of the FMD outbreak by text from our Cypriot client on Aug 4 th . From Aug 6th – 26th we were held at an EU Approved Control Post (never used before) in Svilengrad in south-east Bulgaria. There was no equipment not even a sweeping brush. No bedding, hay or feed. We used our own feedstuffs then sourced hay locally.

The goats were blood tested on Aug 9th & 15th by vets from Sofia. A 30 day period between leaving the UK and arriving in Cyprus was agreed at a meeting of the EU Commission in Brussels on Aug 8 th . However nobody told us or our local vets at Svilengrad who inspected the goats daily. We were left in limbo having to rely on our own facilities and resources. Thankfully the goats were brilliant. They coped remarkably well especially considering the daily temperature was in excess of 40C. It was an immense relief to get all 65 to their destination on day 29 in good condition. If anybody is interested I have a copy of an article & pic from the Sunday Telegraph Aug 26th written by Christopher Booker (also known as * Muckspreader * of Private Eye) plus two recordings done by mobile phone for Farming Today ( one from Svilengrad and another just 30 mins before we arrived at our destination). And if anybody is wondering , no it hasn't put me off exporting! I do have a lot of questions I want answers to though.

A photo album of the trip can be viewed on this link:-

http://community.webshots.com/user/goatgenetics

Mrs C Ball, Orchard Cottage, Befcote Lane, Gnosall, Staffs ST20 0EB.
Tel/fax 01785 824897
Mobile 07903763670
christineball@peaclond.freeserve.co.uk  or info@goatgenetics.com

   
   
07/07/07
  • Cyprus. Goats for Paraskevas Kiriakidis started their 30-day standstill on June28 th at Roland and Dreda Randall's Monach Farm, Cambs. AN & BA (to supply milk to make Haloumi cheese). 60 females + 6 males from 14 herds. A further batch of BA sired kids is due to go to Cyprus in Oct from the Givendale commercial herd. PK visited the UK in late May. He spent a couple of days doing work experience with the Givendale herd then I took him to visit the Skylarkhil herd near Nottingham, one of the AN suppliers who also have a superb cheese dairy on site. Article & pics to follow.
  • Kenya. With help from Dr.Christie Peacock (Farm Africa) we should now be able to get a workable Import Permit for BS/BT/BA kids for Jacob Kamau Kahiu who visited the UK in Jan.
  • Caribbean. Hit a brick wall on transportation. There are no direct flights currently available and no airline will carry livestock to Trinidad/Tobago. BA has had cutbacks and is route sharing with other operators. I am now waiting for DEFRA to inspect the port of Portsmouth and the Geest (banana) boats. If they can  meet the new EU requirements and be re-licenced to handle/carry livestock a shipment of kids may be able to travel by sea to Trinidad and possibly also St.Vincents (CVO there has still not approved DEFRA's export health certificate). More details will follow for breeders who have offered stock for these locations.

Mrs C Ball, Orchard Cottage, Befcote Lane, Gnosall, Staffs ST20 0EB.

Tel/fax 01785 824897

Mobile 07903763670

christineball@peaclond.freeserve.co.uk  or info@goatgenetics.com

   
   
02/04/07
  • March 30th .  DEFRA confirmed the draft export certificate for live goats to Trinidad & Tobago has now been accepted. This means we should be able to fulfil orders for Trinidad in '07.
  • Malta. An additional enquiry has been received for BT's One male & two females. I am waiting for feedback from a shipping agent on the possibility of flying kids there.
  • Romania. Several enquiries for commercial stock have been received. Now looking at bookings for '08.
  • BA and AN kids for Cyprus. SMS required. Aiming to leave late July if a route plan can be agreed.

Please email/phone/write to let me know if you have stock available.

We need many more herds with Scrapie Monitored Status in order to meet demand.

Mrs C Ball, Orchard Cottage, Befcote Lane, Gnosall, Staffs ST20 0EB.

Tel/fax 01785 824897

Mobile 07903763670

christineball@peaclond.freeserve.co.uk  or info@goatgenetics.com

   
   
02/03/07
The export scene is really buzzing right now and demand exceeds availability especially for Scrapie Monitored Status stock for EU Countries. Please note that the following enquiries are just that. Many may not come to fruition but stand a better chance if I know exactly if and where I can source good stock. Please let me know what you might have available. There's no commitment until we get to the definite negotiation stage. Prices may vary according to requirements, numbers and countries but I would expect to be able to offer you at least £250 for BGS registered good quality female kids and £300 for male kids. You might be required to transport your kids to a central point for the 30 day standstill period prior to export. Transport costs are usually covered by the purchaser :-
  • Ireland and Romania – well bred, milky stock for numerous commercial herds both new and expanding. Larger groups preferred.
  • Cyprus – AN and BA kids (50-60) for late July. Mostly female + a few males.
  • Malta – AN kids 2F + 1M.
  • Kenya – BS/BT top quality kids for a small dairy herd. Jacob from Nairobi visited the UK Jan '07.
  • Trinidad – BS/BT top quality kids for possibly three herds. DEFRA have drafted a new export certificate that only requires approval by Trinidad.
  • St.Vincents – AN/BA/Boer kids. 10F + 2M for each breed. Scrapie Status NOT required.
  • Brazil – AN/Boer semen for a dairy/meat project. DEFRA have a draft certificate in progress.
  • Kuwait – AN kids. 5F + 2M.
  • Iran – BA's. Discussion in progress but a long shot.
  • Kurdistan – Swiss type milkers. 10F + 2M. Awaiting details.

Mrs C Ball, Orchard Cottage, Befcote Lane, Gnosall, Staffs ST20 0EB.

Tel/fax 01785 824897

Mobile 07903763670

christineball@peaclond.freeserve.co.uk  or info@goatgenetics.com