Fines of more than €1,000 for failure to update herd changes
Farmers have been warned to keep their herd registers up to date with all animal transactions, and report them for inclusion in the Cattle Movement Monitoring System; otherwise the consequences can be very serious if a farm inspection is carried out.
Noel Woulfe (West Limerick) a member of the IFA National Livestock Committee, said a number of cases have come to the attention of the IFA, where animals had been sold or had died, but were not taken off the herd listing, and this was discovered during farm inspections, resulting in fines.
He said it is particularly important for farmers who sell livestock farm to farm to ensure the transactions are recorded on the CMMS and on their Herd Register. “There have been a number of cases where the forms were not returned by farmers to CMMS, and the animals continued to be shown in the wrong herd.”
“The penalties are severe for any breach of the regulations, and it is too late to try and remedy the situation when notice of an inspection is received”, he said.
