Pig identification and movement
Whether you keep one pig as a pet or have a commercial herd you must comply with certain requirements regarding their identification and movement recording. Plain English guidance on these requirements can be found on the Business Link website.
Latest news
23 March 2012 – Summary of responses for the Non-formal consultation on electronic reporting of pig movements in England published.
14 September 2011 - New electronic service for pig movement reporting - From 1 October 2011, new legislation will come into effect that requires keepers to pre-notify pig movements electronically, through the British Pig Executive (BPEX) /Meat & Livestock Commercial Services Ltd. Keepers without electronic internet access are offered a telephone bureau service. We will further update this page throughout the course of October with newly issued Defra ‘Pig Keeper Guidance’. Further information is available on the BPEX website.
18 May 2011 - Non-formal consultation on electronic reporting of pig movements in England - Consultation on a proposal to replace the current paper method of reporting pig movements in England with a pre-notification electronic system has commenced for four weeks. The proposal builds on a pilot project information.
What keepers have to do
- A guide for pig keepers
- Advice for owners of pet pigs and micro pigs - Pet pigs which will be returned immediately to the premises they are moved from must be moved in accordance with a walking licence issued by the local Animal Health office.
These guidance materials will be reviewed and revised as appropriate later this year following the conclusion of the consultation on electronic movement reporting.
Publications
- AML2 – Movement document (available from Local Authorities)
- General Licence for the Movement of Pigs (PDF 40 KB)
- Annex A – C (PDF 40 KB) Annex D (PDF 50 KB) and Annex E (PDF)
- Slapmarking equipment manufacturers (PDF 100 KB)
Legislation
Facts and Figures
The United Kingdom national herd is 4.38 million (a decrease of 0.9% from 2009).
Further information
- Pig welfare in transport (Business Link)