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Bluetongue: Guidance to livestock keepers on the arrangements to designate land as part of the Bluetongue Surveillance Zone (SZ)

Livestock keepers who wish to move their animals out of the Surveillance Zone to  land which they occupy within 8km of the SZ boundary may apply  to do so provided they meet certain requirements. In line with our Disease Control Strategy, this  land would then  be designated as part of the SZ and be subject to the SZ rules.

These arrangements will be open to any livestock keeper to apply for designation of land if:

  • He occupies land inside the current SZ boundary and also occupies land outside the boundary and wishes to move animals freely between the two for any management or welfare reasons.
  • The land  occupied outside the current SZ boundary is within (or part of it must be within) 8km of the current SZ boundary.
  • The land can be fully described (including an accurate grid reference).
  • The land to be designated outside the current SZ boundary is in England (this procedure does not apply to land in Wales).
  • He can comply with the conditions of approval, including record keeping.

Any livestock keeper wishing to have land designated must apply to the local Animal Health Divisional Office (AHDO).

Accurate reference to the land outside the current SZ boundary which is proposed  to be designated as SZ is required. Advice on obtaining an accurate reference for the land outside the SZ to which the applicant wishes to move can be obtained using the MAGIC system.

However alternative descriptions/map references are acceptable provided the AHDO can accurately determine the location of the land parcel. If more than one discrete parcel of land is to be designated, grid references to all the parcels involved must be provided. The description requirements in the application are detailed, please see descriptions of land that have been designated as part of the SZ as examples.

The AHDO will decide if the land may be designated. If approved, the AHDO will notify the livestock keeper that movements may take place, when the Defra website has been amended to include reference to the land that has been designated.

If approved, movements can only be undertaken under the conditions of the General Licence EXD468(BT)  (PDF) (22 KB) SZ to SZ via FA and all conditions must be complied with.

Movements between the SZ and land designated outside of the SZ only applies to the occupier of that specific land.

Changing the designation of land outside the SZ

If the occupier of the land in the Free Area (FA) that has been designated as SZ moves all  animals from that land  , the occupier can apply to have the land redesignated as no longer part of the SZ If an occupier has vacated designated SZ land, the owner of that land can apply to have the SZ status removed. A signed request to have SZ status removed should be sent to the relevant AHDO.

 

Page last modified: 4 February, 2008

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs