[nigelish]

We run a rural pub in Herefordshire and would like a few minature sheep along with some pygmy goats for our petting section we have just created. We are also looking for a patch of land we can cultivate and produce vegetables for our kitchen, if anyone has any animals available please let us know.
The land we require must be based in Ledbury, Herefordshire.

Kind Regards
Nigel

[kanisha]

there are a number of breeders of miniature sheep ( ouessants) for sale presently in the UK on the forum  http://ouessants.ning.com let me know if you need more help

[nigelish]

Hi Kanisha,
Thankyou for your reply I have just joined the forum and left a request on there.
Nigel

[woollyval]

I have replied on the Ouessant site!

[brock]

Hi there,
       We have a small holding in rural Warwickshire and have some sheep to sell. They are rare breed Soay's. They come from an island on the west coast of Scottland and are very easy to keep. They are small and also shed their wool so there is no need for sheering. We have males and females available. If you are interested please get in touch.

Many thanks.

[brock]

[email protected]

[nigelish]

Hi,
 Thanks for the reply, Ive heard that Soay are escape artists, we are near a bypass and would hate anything to happen to them.

Nigel

[kanisha]

Nigel if you are still looking and fancy getting someone to share the transport costs. Then there are ouessants a plenty in france and for castrates you would pay around 60 euros. I would be happy to help with paperwork.

[lindy]

Balyham Rare Breeds were advertising some for sale  but they are a long way from you. (Suffolk). Have you tried the  uk breed society secretary.  I expect her no. is on the society website.
Do they have to be Ouessants?  Do you want them because you only have a small amount of land?
Perhaps you could borrow some sheep for the summer.
I sold a couple of my sheep to a pub setting up a pets corner but it did not last long. They only kept them for a few months then sold them when the main holiday season was over. Also I think they found it too much work in addition to running a pub so consider all your options before commiting yourself.

[nigelish]

Hi Kanisha,
Like the idea of that, have you any idea of the cost of transport cost entailed, maybe could bring a few extra over including breeding ewes to cover the costs, would appreciate any help you could give regarding papaerwork.
Nigel
Definately want animals for the long time as we are going to run the pub as a couple with staff when it takes off in the summer (hopefully) .
Nigel
[email protected]

[woollyval]

Hi Nigelish

I have done 2 imports of Ouessants and Kanisha is the person to know!!!

On the home front there are things you need to know.......its not simple nor cheap!

First, I assume you have a holding number?(if not you need one!) If so contact must be made with your local animal health office and you will need to ask for an isolation facility to be set up. They will come out and inspect your premesis and advise how to do this. It must be done well in advance as the animals will have to be isolated here for up to a month.
Then assuming you are going to buy more than one animal you will need to contact and engage a licenced haulier with the right licences for importing livestock from abroad. This will cost around £1600 ......possibly more or possibly less if a load going both ways is possible....ie you only use the return journey.

Then there is the cost of the sheep and any pre movement testing they may or may not require.
..................it is not easy!

If buying only one sheep it still requires a freight journey to transport it and it is approx £275 for the one way!

Soooooo if a group get together and import 20 Ouessants it keeps costs down! They do have to stay together in isolation so you must make sure the isolation facility can cope!
If you want to import let me know and i will help make up a consignment of top quality sheep as I wouldn't mind one or two more Ouessant ewes.

[kanisha]

Hi Nigel have sent you a PM.

as for importing;Nigel has a holding number so thats not a problem.

premovement testing can be kept to a minimum the most tests are required for breeding rams;  transport costs are also considerably less than you might think. depending on what you want to move. my own view that one or two quality sheep is still going to work out a good buy for fresh blood lines.
The logisitics of holding and moving a larger number of sheep is quite feasible but really only practicable for someone willing to keep that number here in france it basically involves commercial movement  and that is a whole different ball game. Not to mention.whilst ouessants are a plenty in france the number of good quality ouessants is harder to come by; 

[woollyval]

.............I hate to be a pain but you really do need a commercial movement for a sheep if 2 or more..........I have spoken to just about every DEFRA official and State veterinary service vet I can.............main office in Chelmsford.

An officially licenced transporter is the only way...........I could take Merinos (a Ouessant ram) in my van as there was only him, and there is a loophole in the TRACES system, but if 2 or more its a whole different ball game and even though I am licenced to transport across GB I am not allowed to bring my trailer over to France and then return with livestock as I am not licenced for journeys over 8 hours, none of us are.........This is why we imported 17 the first time as it was the only way to keep costs down........and whilst not from the top French breeders every one imported is small and sound in conformation etc....................no point importing poor stock!

I will add that the cost of buying and bringing 17 sheep from Brittany is half that of buying stock in GB where a ewe is approx £350

[kanisha]

OK lets get to the nitty gritty. there are regs that can be used  which apply to small movements of sheep you know about the one sheep rule as i told you about it but there are ways and means of moving small numbers of sheep legally without getting involved in huge costs of comercial shipments. its just a question of knowing the ins and out. I move animals professionally for a living. ( dogs and cats) i come across the 8 hour rule as often as anyone else  don't panic. it can all be done the rules are there to protect an abuse of live animal transport welfare not to thwart people moving a few sheep. 

[lindy]

kanisha,
How many sheep would one need to import to make it financially sensible,
would you be able to source that number of good quality ewes
how much would the total cost per sheep be(approx)