General Q&A
Section 3: Cattle/sheep indentification and traceability
3.1 Cattle
Cattle Identification
Q.1. How are cattle
identified?
Q.2. What are the
deadlines for tagging cattle?
Q.3. What about replacement
tags for cattle born from 1 January 1998?
Q.4. What about replacement
tags for cattle born before 1 January 1998?
Q.5. What is numeric
tagging?
Q.6. Can I still
obtain replacement tags bearing the alpha-numeric format?
Electronic Identification
Q.7. Can cattle be identified by electronic tags?
Q.8. What is the Government doing about introducing EID?
Q.9. But what about the use of EID in Scotland?
[return to Q&A index]
Cattle Passports and the Cattle Tracing System (CTS)
Q.10. What are
Compulsory Cattle Passports?
Q.11. What is the
CTS?
Q.12. How do farmers
apply for cattle passports?
Q.13. Why are passports
necessary?
Q.14. What if a
passport is not obtained?
Q.15. Who has to
notify a cattle movement?
Q.16. How are movements
notified?
Q.17. What about
a 20 day standstill for cattle?
Q.18. Who can have
access to information on the database?
Q.19. What is the
cost of the BCMS and how is it funded?
Q.20. What are Cattle
Identification Inspections (CIIs)?
Extension of the CTS
Q.21. Has the extension
of CTS been successful?
Q.22. Has the law
been changed?
3.2 Sheep
Sheep identification
Q.23. What are
the requirements for the identification of sheep?
Q.24. What is a
flock/herd mark?
Q.25. Do sheep have
to be individually identified?
Q.26. Does the new
legislation introduce any other major changes?
Q.27. What about
the 6 day standstill period, after movement, for sheep?
3.3 Beef Labelling
Q.28. Where can I obtain more information on the beef
labelling system?
Q.29. What is the Beef Labelling system?
Q.30. What indications are required under the compulsory
system?
Q.31. How does the voluntary Scheme work?
Q.32. What are the benefits of beef labelling?
Q.33. What recent developments are there on beef labelling?
[return to Q&A index]
3.1 Cattle
Cattle Identification
Q.1. How are cattle identified?A. EU rules on cattle identification specify that cattle born or imported from 1 January 1998 require:
- unique individual identification by fitting an official tag in each ear;
- a passport;
- inclusion in individual on-farm registers.
Q.2. What are the deadlines for tagging cattle?
A. The tagging requirements for calves in dairy herds were amended
on 1 January 2000: all cattle must be fitted with one tag in each ear
within 20 days of birth. In the case of dairy cattle at least one tag
must be fitted within 36 hours of birth. In any event, all cattle must
be identified before leaving their holding of birth.
Q.3. What about replacement tags for cattle born
from 1 January 1998?
A. Any tag which is lost or becomes illegible must be replaced by
a tag of the same type (primary or secondary) and carry the same identification
number. Any such animal will therefore be identified by the same number
throughout its life.
Q.4. What about replacement tags for cattle born
before 1 January 1998?
A. Any tag which is lost or becomes illegible may be replaced by
a tag bearing the same identification number or another tag from the
on farm stock or a new set of double tags bearing a different number.
If either of the last two options is chosen the keeper must amend the
on farm record and if the animal has a passport send it to the British
Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) for amendment.
Q.5. What is numeric tagging?
A. This is the coding system which appears on cattle ear tags consisting
purely of numbers after the Crown logo and the country code "UK".
Numeric tags were available from 17 January 2000 and have been compulsory
for all animals born or imported into Great Britain after 1 July 2000.
Numeric tags have replaced the "alpha-numeric" tags which
consisted of letters and numbers.
Q.6. Can I still obtain replacement tags bearing
the alpha-numeric format?
A. Yes. But they may only be used to replace tags lost which were
supplied in the alpha-numeric format.
Electronic Identification
Q.7. Can cattle be identified by electronic tags?
A. The use of electronic identification (EID) tags is voluntary
and can be used for on-farm management purposes. However, using electronic
tags does not replace the requirement for official tags to be used to
identify cattle.
Q.8. What is the Government doing about introducing
EID
A. The UK Government is awaiting the results of the European Commission's
field trials (IDEA) to see what European rules or standards might be
agreed for all Member States. Defra has been provided with Spending
Review funding for a programme of work to improve identification and
tracing of livestock based on EID and electronic data transfer from
farm, market or abattoir to a central government database. The programme
will build on the existing cattle tracing system and includes setting
up a new database for tracing sheep. Developments for use of electronic
identification (and for sheep tracing) will take account of any emerging
proposals from the European Union. In the meantime, Government is working
with a livestock production industry EID steering group to resolve practical
difficulties that might prevent early adoption.
Q.9. But what about the use of EID in Scotland?
A. The Scottish Executive has considered EID for cattle in Scotland
in advance of the European Commission's IDEA trials. Following feasibility
reviews and discussions with Industry, the Scottish Executive, in liaison
with farming industry representatives, has concentrated on options for
improving the availability of cattle tracing information on-line and
is reviewing practical matters related to introducing EID.
Cattle passports and the Cattle Tracing System (CTS)
Q.10. What are Compulsory Cattle Passports?
A. All cattle born in or imported into Great Britain from 1 July
1996 must have a cattle passport:
- until 28 September 1998, the passport was a green-blue single page document. This passport must continue to be used throughout the animal's life and the animal's movements must be recorded on the passport;
- on 28 September 1998, when the CTS was introduced, the passport format changed to a cheque book style passport. The movements of cattle with cheque-book style passports must be recorded on the passport and must also be reported to the BCMS, the organisation which runs the CTS.
Q.11. What is the CTS?
A. The CTS is a computer-based system launched on 28 September 1998
which registers cattle in Great Britain and their movements from birth
to death. It is run by the BCMS based in Workington, Cumbria.
Q.12. How do farmers apply for cattle passports?
A. Farmers must apply for a cattle passport within 7 days of the
animal having been tagged:
- either by completing and sending the relevant passport application form to the BCMS; or
- by applying by Email, using the Standard Interface Specification (SIS) system. (This method is only available for animals still on their holding of birth); or
- CTS Online Website to apply to the BCMS via the Internet
Q.13. Why are passports necessary?
A. Cattle passports improve the ability to trace an animal. Buyers
and inspectors can see at a glance where an animal has been throughout
its life. Meat from cattle can only enter the human food chain if the
cattle are presented for slaughter with a valid passport.
Q.14. What if a passport is not obtained?
A. The animal will not be eligible for slaughter for human consumption
and cannot move from the holding except under a special licence.
Q.15. Who has to notify a cattle movement?
A. The cattle keeper, that is the person responsible for the animal,
e.g. farmers, dealers, markets, slaughterhouse operators. If an animal
moves from one holding to another, both the person responsible for the
animal moving off a holding and the person responsible for the animal
moving on to a holding must notify BCMS separately.
Q.16. How are movements notified?
A. There is a choice: movements can be notified to BCMS using 'freepost'
post-cards detached from the passport or by electronic data transfer.
CTS Online extended to enable movements to be reported over the Internet.
Movements must be notified within 7 days of the event.
Q.17. What about a 20 day standstill for cattle?
A. DERFA has consulted on proposals to introduce a requirement limiting
movements of livestock by banning any movements off an agricultural
holding within a period of 20 days following movement of animals onto
the holding. The consultation document is available on Defra's Animal
Health Website.
We are reviewing our proposals in the light of responses to the consultation exercise and have decided to make this issue part of a total approach to future disease control, which will also include biosecurity, animal identification and licensing. This will allow fuller veterinary and economic assessments to be carried out. In the meantime, current movement licensing controls will continue.
Q.18. Who can have access to information on the
database?
A. Information on the CTS database is available to enforcement authorities.
Information may also be released to those with an interest in the livestock
and beef industries, including consumer organisations. The Government
has published a Code of Practice which outlines the conditions under
which it proposes to release information held on CTS, and has consulted
on changes to this to take account of CTS Online.
Q.19. What is the cost of the BCMS and how is
it funded?
A. The Government has paid the start-up costs of around £20
million. Running costs, including inspections, of around £16 million
in the first year of operation have also been met by the Government.
The Government had planned to recover the costs of running the CTS from
industry from September 1999. However, in view of the depressed state
of the market, charges will be waived at least until March 2004. This
waiver is worth around £18 million a year to the industry.
Q.20. What are Cattle Identification Inspections
(CIIs)?
A. These are inspections carried out by inspectors from Defra's
Rural Payment Agency and offices in Scotland and Wales, on behalf of
BCMS, to examine cattle, their eartags, passports and the farm records,
to check that all cattle identification requirements are being met.
Extension of the CTS
Q.21. Has the extension of CTS been successful?
A. Yes, the Cattle Herd Registration project, also known as "Cattle
Count 2000" has been a great success. During autumn 2000, a major
exercise was undertaken to gather details of older cattle born before
BCMS was set up. Before the exercise, the CTS held details of about
40% of the GB cattle herd. It now holds details of 98% of the herd.
Around 4.5 million Certificates of CTS Registration have been printed
and despatched, giving keepers proof that their older cattle are registered
on the CTS.
Q.22. Has the law been changed?
A. Yes. The Cattle Herd Registration was a voluntary exercise, but
new legislation in England, Scotland and Wales requires all older cattle
to have been registered on the CTS database and be issued with Certificates
of CTS Registration (CHR 3).
From 29 January 2001:
- it became an offence to keep any cattle born before 1 July 1996 that have not been registered with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS);
- the location of any cattle with blue-green passports (that is without movement cards) must have been notified to the BCMS;
- keepers must notify the deaths of cattle born before 1 July 1996 (it is already mandatory to notify deaths of younger cattle);
- keepers must notify movements (on and off holdings) of all older cattle (movements of younger cattle with cheque-book style passport must already be notified).
The arrangements for notifying movements of older cattle are similar to arrangements for younger cattle: either complete a movement card (attached to the Certificate of CTS Registration (CHR 3), use the SIS email system or use the Internet CTS Online Website.
3.2 Sheep (Last updated: March 2004)
Sheep Identification
Q.23. What are the requirements for the identification
of sheep?
A. In 2000, England introduced rules for the identification of sheep.
These rules required all sheep born after 1 January 2001, or on their
holding of birth at that date to be eartagged or tattooed with their
flock mark. Animals should be marked at the earliest opportunity and
in any case within one year of their birth or before they move from
their holding of birth if that is sooner.
Post FMD, Defra introduced additional sheep identification requirements. Sheep which are not on their holding of birth when they are being moved must be identified with an ear tag containing the letter 'S' and the flock mark of the holding they are moving from. This is so that we are able to trace them back to the previous holding. There is a limit of 3 official marks. Rams and billy goats need an individual number if they are used in breeding isolation units. All animals moving to shows or exhibitions require an individual identification number.
As of 1 February 2003, all lambs and kids require a unique individual identification number on their eartag or tattoo. Sheep or goats still on their holding of birth and not yet marked also require an individual identification number.
Q.24. What is a flock/herd mark?
A. This is the 6-digit number allocated to all keepers of sheep
or goats. It must appear on eartags or in tattoos. If you keep sheep
or goats and do not know your flock or herd mark, you should contact
your local animal health office. They will register your details and
issue you with a flock or herd mark.
Q.25. Do sheep have to be individually
identified?
A. As of 1 February 2003, all lambs and kids on their holding of
birth not yet marked require a unique individual identification number
on their eartag or tattoo.
The individual number does not need to be recorded in your flock record book or on movement documents. However, if the animal is moving to a show or for breeding or has already reached its limit of 3 official tags, then the individual number must be recorded on movement documents and in the flock register. S tags may include individual numbers, which allow older animals to move to more than 4 holdings, if so desired.
Q.26. Does the new legislation introduce
any other major changes?
A. No, the other changes are minor. Farmers must keep records for
6 years and ‘S’ tags must be replaced, if the original one
is known.
Q.27. What about the 6 day standstill
period, after movement, for sheep?
A. As a measure to slow down the spread of undetected disease, Defra
introduced a 6-day standstill period for sheep, goats and cattle. This
means that when cattle, sheep and goats are brought onto a farm, no
cattle, sheep or goats may move off that farm for 6 days afterwards.
The arrival of pigs on a mixed livestock farm means that no cattle,
sheep or goats may move off the farm for 6 days afterwards (no pigs
may move off for 20 days). We decided to make this issue part of a total
approach to future disease control, which also includes biosecurity,
animal identification and licensing.
There are exemptions to the 6-day standstill for farms with sheep and goats moving to slaughter or a slaughter market. Animals moving to and from tack and/or common grazing do not trigger a 6-day standstill. Farms with sheep in approved breeding isolation units are also exempted. Please see the IMA rules for the complete list of exemptions.
3.3 Beef Labelling
Q.28. Where can I obtain more information
on the beef labelling system?
A. Further details can be found in the Beef Labelling Guide available
on the Defra website
or from Beef Labelling Section - Helpline: Tel: 020 7238 3158.
Q.29. What is the Beef Labelling system?
A. Compulsory beef labelling in the EU applies to all fresh and
frozen beef and veal at all stages of the production chain from slaughterhouse
to retailer. This system supplements the voluntary Beef Labelling Scheme
which has been in force since 1998. European Parliament and Council
Regulation 1760/2000 govern both elements of the beef labelling system.
Local authorities and government inspectors enforce the labelling rules
in the UK.
Q.30. What indications are required under
the compulsory system?
A. The rules require all fresh and frozen beef and veal to be labelled
with:
- a reference code linking meat on sale to the original animal or group of animals from which the meat is derived;
- the country of birth of the animal or group of animals from which the meat is derived;
- the country(ies) of rearing of the animal or group of animals from which the meat is derived;
- the country of slaughter;
- the country of cutting;
- the approval numbers of the abattoir and cutting plant(s).
There are slightly different rules for mince.
If the country of birth and of rearing are the same as country of slaughter, the indication 'Origin: [name of country]' and the indications from the first stage will suffice. Slightly different rules apply for minced beef. Approval will still be required to label beef with the area, region and local origin, such as 'English', 'Scottish', 'Locally reared', 'West Country Beef'.
Wherever the rules require the country to be indicated this refers to either the EU Member State (e.g. UK) or a non-EU country (third country). For beef from a third country where all information is not available, the following indications must be given as a minimum: 'Origin Non-EC' - 'slaughtered in [name of third country]'.
Q.31. How does the voluntary Scheme work?
A. The Beef Labelling Scheme controls labelling at all levels of
the supply chain from slaughterhouse to retailer. All non-compulsory
information about the origin, method of production or characteristics
of beef or animal from which it is derived requires government approval
under the Scheme. The Scheme requires operators to establish a traceability
system and to employ a government-recognised independent third party
to verify the information on the label. Traceability is the key requirement
of the Scheme.
Q.32. What are the benefits of beef labelling?
A. Consumers will have enhanced information about the beef they
buy and this will result in greater consumer confidence and therefore
an improvement in the market. The traceability systems supports the
important requirement that any beef labelled as "UK - British"
must have come from an animal that was born in Britain, raised in Britain
and slaughtered in Britain.
Q.33. What recent developments are there
on beef labelling?
A. The beef labelling rules were reviewed by the European
Commission in 2004. The Commission’s report, published in April
2004, concluded that the beef labelling system should not be extended
to processed beef-based products and makes no changes to the existing
compulsory and voluntary rules. The report limits its proposals for
change to some technical simplifications of the existing system. These
are generally welcomed as they will simplify the system for applicants
but without diminishing the system’s effectiveness. The simplifications
are currently the subject of discussion in Brussels.
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