Livestock identification and movements
As a livestock keeper there are things you must do. For example, you must register as a keeper and correctly identify your livestock. There are also rules about the movements of livestock. These help to prevent the spread or outbreak of animal diseases..
- Sheep identification and movement
- Cattle identification and movement
- Pig identification and movement
- Goat identification and movement
- Other animals – Deer and camelid movement
New keepers
New keepers of cattle, pigs, sheep and goats must register for a County Parish Holding (CPH) number phoning the Rural Payments Agency on 0845 603 7777.
Key publications
Data protection statement
Defra (or the National Assembly for Wales) and Local Authorities are the data controllers (in common) in respect of any personal data that you provide when you complete the movement documents. Data controllers in common are two or more data controllers processing the same data but for different purposes.
Defra (or the National Assembly for Wales) and Local Authorities will use the information on the movement documents for the purposes of recording livestock movements and the enforcement of disease control legislation, which will include, but not be confined to, breaches of standstill rules, multiple-pick-up/drop-off rules, identification requirements and illegal movements of livestock. We may also use the data on the movement documents to produce statistical returns/analyses of movements and the results may be made public but they will not identify individuals. Data may also be provided to Universities or other institutions or persons involved with research or projects for Defra (or the National Assembly for Wales). However, we will only provide data to organisations which sign a confidentiality agreement that no material will be published that would enable persons to be identified from the information. Defra may be required to release information, including personal data and commercial information, on request under the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 or the Freedom of Information Act 2000. However, Defra will not permit any unwarranted breach of confidentiality nor will we act in contravention of our obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998.
If you wish to obtain a copy of your personal data held by Defra, please follow the procedure available on our website. Defra’s public service guarantee on data handling, which gives details of your rights in respect of the handling of your personal data is also available on this website.
The standing movements regime
In the aftermath of the 2001 outbreak of foot and mouth disease Defra introduced standing restrictions on the movements of livestock (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs). Whenever cattle, sheep, goats or pigs are moved onto a farm no cattle, sheep or goats may move off for a period of six days. Pigs have to remain under standstill for 6 days where cattle, sheep and goats have been moved on to a holding. Where pigs have moved on to a farm, existing pigs must remain under standstill for 20 days. This is a disease damping measure designed to slow down the rate of spread of undetected disease and thus reduce the size (and hence the cost) of disease outbreaks. Movements of animals are monitored through the Animal Movements Licensing System (AMLS) which is managed by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS). The Disease Control (England) Order 2003 (as amended) is the domestic legislation setting out the law behind the regime.