Verderers' newsletter march 2012

Verderers of the New Forest
E Mail: [email protected] NEWSLETTER – MARCH 2012

Marking Fees
Unfortunately, marking fees had to be increased again this year. This is as a result of the cut in the
Verderers’ funding from the Forestry Commission of 25% over the next 3 years. We of course
continue to look closely at our expenditure and to make savings wherever we can.
The fees from 1st January 2012 are therefore:-
Ponies, cattle and donkeys on the Forest
Payment is due by the end of March for continuously depastured stock, or otherwise before the animal is turned out. Late payment will jeopardise membership of the Verderers’ Grazing Scheme. As a result of certain changes being implemented in connection with the new Verderers’ Grazing Scheme, our policy on the payment of marking fees has recently changed. • Marking fee receipts will be made out only to the animal owner. There will be no multiple owner or family receipts. Some families will be issued several individual receipts. • All animals must be branded in accordance with the Verderers’ byelaws – i.e. they must carry the owner’s brand. In the case of approved shared brands, each sharer must have signed the brand declaration form. The onus is on commoners to pay their marking fees. If your Agister does not call round, please send your marking fees to your Agister (addresses below). Cheques can also be posted to the office. Please of course do not send cash by post. Mr J R Gerrelli, Broadley Farm, Wootton, New Milton BH25 5SL Mr R Maton, Foresters Cottage, Furzey Lodge, Beaulieu, Brockenhurst SO42 7WB Mr A Napthine, Bartley Cottage West, Brockishill Road, Bartley, Southampton SO40 2LN Mr P Rix, 2 Anderwood End Cottage, Burley Lodge, Burley, Ringwood BH24 4HS Mr M Lovell, Kings Copse Farm, Kings Copse Road, Blackfield, Southampton SO45 1XF Please do not send marking fees for cattle to either your Agister or the office unless your animals have already been marked. As a general rule, marking fees for cattle will be due at the time the animals are marked. The new Verderers’ Grazing Scheme
The Verderers’ Grazing Scheme (VGS), which replaces the old Countryside Stewardship Scheme
(CSS), started on 1st March this year and will run annually from 1st March to the end of February.
Members of the CSS who received payments in December 2011, and who submit an application
form to join the new VGS, will receive an ‘interim’ payment to cover the 5 months from the end of
their last agreement on 30th September 2011, to the start of the new VGS on 1st March 2012. It is
hoped to make interim payment in April or May
The new Scheme includes a number of changes from the old CSS; in particular:
• All commoners who have turned out for a minimum of 3 years in accordance with the general principles of the Scheme are invited to join • Commoners are required to enter all the animals they depasture in the Scheme • There will be a payment cap of £6,000 maximum per each scheme member. • Members will not be limited in the number of animals they depasture, but scheme payment for depastured animals will be limited to the number that their back up grazing supports. A basis of ¼ acre per animal will be used, • Under HLS rules, the VGS is not allowed to use Verderers HLS money to make payments to commoners whose animals do not run on the Crown Landswhich therefore excludes those animals that run on the Adjacent Commons. The National Trust and other owners of the Adjacent Commons have their own HLS agreements and have all entered into agreements with the Verderers to contribute £28 per hectare for the Adjacent Commons to be managed under the VGS. This will result in different levels of payment for the commons although the size of any payments will depend on the number of commoners who join, and how many animals they turn out • Instead of a fixed rate per animal, the VGS will allocate a fixed pot for payments to members, which will be shared by those who join. This amount may not change from year to year so that any increase in stock numbers on the Forest could result in smaller payments to members – conversely, any decrease could result in larger payments • Instead of ‘headage’ payments, animal numbers will be converted into livestock units, as o Cattle – 1 LU o Registered, pure bred, New Forest Pony – excluding geldings – 0.8 LU (includes a o All other equines – 0.4 LU o Pigs – 0.3 LU Enclosed with this newsletter for all those who have turned out animals for 3 years or more, are the
application form and Terms & Conditions for the new VGS (if you don’t receive an application and
believe you should have done, please contact Colin Draper, the VGS Manager, without delay – his
contact details are; Telephone: 02380 283134 or e-mail [email protected]. We invite all
eligible commoners to enter the scheme. Please read the attached papers and make sure you
complete and return your application by the 30 April deadline or you may be excluded. Before
completing your application, please read the instructions on the back page.
Condition of stock and the Autumn Welfare Tour – December 2011

The welfare tour seems a long time ago now. As usual we were pleased to welcome
representatives from the various welfare organisations, Defra and Animal Health. Once more,
those attending expressed their satisfaction with the condition of the animals that we saw on a
blustery day where we managed to dodge most of the hefty downpours!
The office receives very few complaints about the condition of stock these days with the exception
of one particular issue which continues to cause concern and that is .
Donkeys Feet!

Every year we receive complaints from the public about donkeys with long and sometimes split or
twisted feet. We are determined to resolve this issue and any commoner who allows the feet on
his donkeys to become unacceptably long, or twisted or split, will in future, be in danger of losing
payment under the Verderers’ Grazing Scheme. If anyone needs advice about trimming a
donkey’s feet which, as we know, are entirely different to pony feet, several of the Agisters are
quite good at it, although please do not expect them to do the actual trimming for you! The Donkey
Sanctuary is also more than happy to assist.
Stallions
In view of the continuing poor economic climate, the Stallion Sub-Committee decided that once
more the number of stallions turned out and the length of time that they run out should be limited.
In fact, this year, it has been decided to turn out only 10 stallions. Full details of the scheme will be
sent to Stallion owners and anyone else on request. They can also be found on our website
www.verderers.org.uk.
The stallion inspection will be held on Saturday 14th April 2012. This year the inspection is for
colts/stallions aged between 2 and 5 and any mature stallions over 5 years of age which have not
been inspected in previous years.
Bloodlines Scheme

It was originally intended that the Bloodlines Scheme would run for a second year. However, it has
now been decided that it would be prudent to see what the results are for the first year before
committing to further expenditure.
Feeding on the Forest

Most commoners are aware that it is against the Verderers’ byelaws to feed stock on the Forest
unless you have an approved feeding area. What is perhaps slightly less well known is that the
only feedstuffs that are permitted are hay and straw. The feeding of sileage is not allowed as it is
potentially dangerous to ponies.
Damage to Pounds

It is inevitable that from time to time damage is caused to a pound by an animal. It would be much
appreciated if any damage that does occur could be reported to one of the agisters or to the office.
It is extremely annoying for the next person who wishes to use the pound to arrive to find it is
damaged and potentially dangerous or no longer usable. The HLS Scheme is able to fund some
pound rebuilding/repair works and thank you to the CDA which has offered assistance with the
actual work.
Machinery and other items stored on the Forest

One of the rules of the new Verderers’ Grazing Scheme is that commoners must not store
vehicles, machinery or other equipment on the Forest. Apart from possibly damaging/restricting
grazing, machinery is often hazardous to stock. Leaving a tractor outside the gate whilst you go in
for lunch is one thing. Storing a muck spreader or trailer on the Forest on a semi-permanent basis
is quite another. The Forestry Commission, CDA and the Verderers wage an ongoing battle with
Forest residents who think it is OK to lay gravel outside their houses, park their cars on grass or
move their fence out to enlarge their garden. They all amount to the same thing – encroachments
– and we take them very seriously.
Wormers

The use of Ivermectin is not allowed under the terms of the HLS agreement. At least 6 of the most
popular wormers contain Ivermectin as an active ingredient and any animals treated with these are
supposed to be kept off the Forest for a minimum of 14 days afterwards. Although not specifically
prohibited by name, other wormers may infringe the terms of the HLS agreement which also
prohibits the use of anti parasitic drugs likely to damage ‘non target species’. Please do not worm
your ponies on the drifts with Ivermectin-based wormers unless you intend to take your animals
home.
Hot Branding

Although Defra assured us that it is not considering hot branding at the moment, the RSPCA
continues to seek justification for having the practice banned. Last year the RSPCA commissioned
an independent study into the hot branding and microchip implantation of equines. The review was
carried out by Dr M. Kennedy from the Department of Life Sciences at Anglia Ruskin University,
Cambridge. He published his report in June. It is available on the RSPCA’s website.

The report involved a review of existing research into hot branding, freeze marking and microchip
implantation. It acknowledges that very little scientific research is available in this area specifically
relating to horses and ponies instead making it necessary to extrapolate information from studies
into cattle. In light of this situation Dr Kennedy also undertook a small field study focusing on the
behavioural responses of semi feral ponies (New Forest and Exmoor breeds) to both hot branding
and microchip implantation.
The report concluded that hot branding of equines is likely to cause significant pain and suffering
which is unnecessary. Dr Kennedy went on to clearly state that “the practice of hot branding
should end”. The report recommended that if a visual means of identification was required, as in
the case of moorland ponies, that their owners should have them microchipped and fitted with an
identifying collar.
The Verderers responded to the report setting out why they strongly believe that at the present
time hot branding is essential for the welfare and management of the ponies and that no adequate
substitute currently exists. They did however, add that they would welcome limiting branding to
trained personnel and would support further objective research, particularly post branding studies.
If anyone would like to see the Verderers’ response it can be found on our website or a copy can
be provided by the office on request.
Microchipping

A microchipping session has been arranged for Thursday, 9th August at 4.00 p.m. at the Beaulieu
Road Sale Yard. Any horse or pony can be brought along for microchipping providing the owner is
a member of the CDA or NFPB&CS. The cost is £15.00 per horse or pony.
Verderers’ Election

We have a Verderers’ Election this year. Dionis Macnair’s six years comes to an end and of
course we have a vacancy as a result of the most untimely death of Jeff Kitcher. Dave Readhead
was co-opted by the Court but he cannot continue in office unless he puts himself forward and is
successful in being elected. Election day will be Friday 30th November.
We are seeking advice as to whether it will be possible to offer a postal vote this time and in order
to reduce the cost of the election which is in the region of £14,000, we are also considering
whether it will be possible to reduce the number of polling stations – currently five. We are also
seeking to reduce the age at which someone is entitled to vote from 21 to 18.
At the time of writing this newsletter we have no idea whether any of this will be possible.
Whatever happens though, we do hope that practising commoners who occupy the requisite acre
of land with common rights will make sure that their names are on the electoral register and,
assuming that there is a contested election, that they actually come along and vote.
Sue Westwood March 2012

Source: http://www.verderers.org.uk/newsletter_mar12.pdf