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Biosecurity at Markets and Shows
It is essential to keep up and improve standards of biosecurity on farms, in markets and on livestock vehicles if we want to cut down the risk of spreading disease.
Biosecurity at markets
Each market is licensed by Defra and has a biosecurity officer whose job is to make sure that the rules are followed.
Applications forms:
- Application form for a licence to hold a sale, including show or exhibition (if any) or collection at premises where the areas to which animals have access are paved.
- Application form to hold a breed inspection at premises where the areas to which animals have access are paved.
Guidance notes (PDF 152kb) for the above forms describe how the licence conditions should be met.
- Application form for a licence to hold a sale, including show or exhibition (if any) or collection at premises where the areas to which animals have access are unpaved. The Guidance notes (PDF 154kb) are also available.
Premises where the animal area cannot be effectively cleansed and disinfected must not be used for livestock for 27 days before animals arrive for a sale or collection.
The golden rule is "clean in clean off ":
- DON'T bring onto or take off the market any vehicle, equipment or clothing contaminated with animal excreta (other than the inside of vehicles or protective clothing taken off the site for disposal or laundering).
- DON'T leave the animal area without cleaning any contamination from your clothes.
- DON'T leave the animal area without cleansing and disinfecting your boots.
If you break these rules, you will be committing an offence under the Animal Gatherings (England) Order 2006. You may be prosecuted. If it is not practicable to cleanse and disinfect your vehicle on site, you must complete a declaration to say where you will take your vehicle for cleansing and disinfection. You must give the declaration to the market operator. If you break the rules on cleansing and disinfection of livestock vehicles you will be committing an offence under the Transport of Animals (Cleansing and Disinfection) (England) (No. 3) Order 2003. You may be prosecuted.
Consultation
A consultation on the Amendments to the Animal Gatherings (England) Order (AGO) 2004 closed on 29 June 2006. You can still view the following consultation documents below:
- Regulatory Impact Assessment (PDF 65 KB)
- Veterinary Risk Assessment (PDF 30 KB)
- Autumn Breed Sales of Sheep in Great Britain (prepared by MLC for Defra) Note: large file size (PDF 1.5 MB)
- Summary of responses (PDF 81 KB)
Biosecurity at shows
Livestock shows must be licensed by Defra. Each show has a biosecurity officer whose job is to make sure that the rules are followed.
Application forms:
- Application form for a licence to hold a show, including sale (if any) at sites where the areas to which animals have access are unpaved. The guidance notes (PDF 143kb) describe how the licence conditions should be met. Sites where the animal area cannot be effectively cleansed and disinfected must not be used for livestock for 27 days before animals arrive for a show.
- Application form for a licence to hold a show, including sale (if any) at premises where the areas to which animals have access are paved. Guidance notes (PDF 163 KB) are also available.
If you take animals to a show, please follow the instructions the show organisers and the biosecurity officer give you. In particular, before leaving the animal area, you must:
- Cleanse and disinfect your footwear if it is contaminated with animal excreta, and
- Safely dispose of disposable clothing or change any contaminated clothing.
Further information
Page last modified: September 9, 2009