IDENTIFICATION OF SHEEP AND GOATS - ADVICE TO KEEPERS
WHAT DOES THE LEGISLATION SAY?
1.
If you keep sheep or goats in England and Wales, you will be required
by the respective Sheep and Goats Identification Order 2000 to mark them
before they leave their holding of birth with their sheep flock or goat herd mark
(individual identification numbers are not required). This will be compulsory
from 1 January 2001 but it is in your best interests to begin marking as
soon as possible as this will reduce the risk of trade problems arising in the
event that animals are subsequently exported.
2.
Marking will be required for all animals born or first moved off the
holding of birth, and for all sheep and goats brought into England and Wales
from outside the European Union. You will not be able to bring sheep or goats
from another Member State or from another part of the British Islands into
England and Wales unless they are already appropriately marked. Sheep and
goats that you have brought onto your holding from elsewhere before 1 January
2001 do not need to be tagged or tattooed before you move them (but see
paragraph 9 below).
What methods of marking should be used?
3.
There will be two approved methods of marking - ear tagging or
tattooing. The legislation does not specify which ear should be used for tagging
but industry representatives have recommended that in order to be consistent,
the left ear of the sheep or goat should be used wherever possible.
4.
Although the legislation does not specify where a tattoo should be
placed, we strongly recommend that an ear is used unless there are explicit
reasons why not. If an ear is not used the keeper should try to ensure that the
tattoo is in a visible place.
Can other identification methods be used?
5.
You can identify your animals by other methods, for example, electronic
identification but this will not replace the requirement for animals to be tagged
or tattooed in accordance with legislation.
The marking system
6.
The ear tag for animals born on or first moved off the holding of birth on
or after 1 January 2001 must consist of the letters “UK” followed by the new
numeric flock or herd mark of the holding of birth (but see paragraph 13
below). The flock/herd mark will consist of six numbers. The first two of
these numbers will identify the region where the flock/herd is located. The tag
must be printed or stamped with the letters and numbers, not hand written.
The tag can be any colour EXCEPT RED.
Example of an all-numeric ear tag
7.
If you choose to tattoo, the tattoo must show the flock or herd mark of
the holding of birth. The tattoo does not need to include “UK”. You can
include additional information on your compulsory ear tag or tattoo, if you so
wish, provided that this does not make identification of the flock/herd mark
difficult.
8.
Animals imported from outside the European Union must be marked
with the flock or herd mark of the holding of destination followed by the letter
“F”, within thirty days of arrival on the holding. This will not apply if they go
directly to a slaughterhouse for slaughter within five days.
Example of an ear tag for animals imported from outside the European
Union
9.
The current identification requirements for sheep and goats going for
export will apply up to 31 December 2000. From 1 January 2001, the
requirements will be slightly different. Animals being exported must be
marked with an additional ear tag or tattoo consisting of the letters “UK”, the
flock or herd mark of the consigning premises, the letter “X”, and an individual
identification number. However, if the holding of birth tag or tattoo includes an
individual identification number, you need not apply an export tag or tattoo
unless you wish to do so.
Example of an ear tag for animals which are being exported
Are the new flock or herd marks for sheep or goats the same as the ones for
cattle?
10.
In most cases your mark will be the same. It will be different if you have
registered your cattle and sheep/goats under different holding numbers. It will
also be different if under the alpha numeric system you had different sheep
flock or goat herd marks. If you have a query about the mark you have been
allocated, please contact your local Animal Health Divisional Office.
Do I have to identify my animal if it is moving straight to slaughter?
11.
There are no exceptions to the requirement for marking by ear tag or
tattoo for animals going to slaughter. However, you can use a small lightweight
tag for such animals as long as the numbers can be read for the duration of the
animal’s life.
What if I need to take my animal to the vet?
12.
As long as your animal is returning to the holding of birth, you may take
your animal to a veterinary practice for any veterinary procedure or treatment
without marking it by ear tag or tattoo.
Can I use up my old stocks of ear tags?
13.
You will be able to use tags which bear the old alpha numeric flock or
herd mark for a period of one year, i.e. until 31 December 2001. These tags do
not have to have the “UK” prefix. You can also use tags which you have
purchased for voluntary tagging systems , such as those run by Breed Societies,
until 31 December 2001as long as that tagging system has been registered on
our central database. If you are in any doubt whether the system you use has
been registered please contact:
England
Barry Austin, MAFF, 1A Page Street, London SW1P 4PQ (telephone: 0207
904 6095, fax: 0207 904 6076)
email: [email protected]
Wales
Miss Sarah King, NAWAD, Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3NQ (telephone: 029
20825149, fax: 029 20823352)
email: [email protected]
What happens if my animal loses its identification?
14.
You must maintain all ear tags and tattoos so that they can be clearly
read. If an ear tag is lost or becomes illegible, or if the tattoo becomes illegible,
it must be replaced. Provided you know what the original mark on the tag was
you may replace it with that mark. If you prefer you may use the mark of the
holding which the animal currently resides on. If you choose this option you
must cross reference the new mark with the old mark in your farm register.
15.
If the original holding mark is not known so that cross-referencing is not
possible, the animal must be identified by a red ‘R’ tag or a tattoo of the current
holding mark followed by the letter ‘R’. These animals cannot be exported.
Example of a replacement ear tag
Who supplies ear tags?
16.
A list of known ear tag manufacturers is at Appendix A. This is not an
exhaustive list and there may be other manufacturers known to you who can
supply ear tags. If you have difficulty finding suppliers of tags, agricultural
merchants who are members of the Animal Health Distributors Association
(AHDA) usually handle these items. AHDA members are listed on the AHDA
website at www.ahda.org.uk. Make sure you order your supply of ear tags well
in advance of needing them.
Are there any other changes in the new legislation?
17.
Apart from the new identification requirements, the only other major
change is that from 1 September 2000 instead of three years, you will have to
keep your records for six years. This will help in the tracing of animal diseases.
Otherwise the new regulations will repeat much of the legislation contained in
the Sheep and Goats (Records, Movements and Identification) Order 1996.
You must continue to record sheep and goat movements in the farm register
and on the accompanying movement document. The identification mark for
recording movements can still be a temporary mark, but you can choose to
use your sheep and goats flock/herd marks, or an animal’s individual
identification number(if it has one) instead.
Keepers who are sheepmeat producers must continue to keep the same records
as before to enable them to claim subsidy payments.
18.
From 1 September 2000, information on the new regulations will be
available on the MAFF website at:
www.maff.gov.uk/animalh/tracing/default.htm
APPENDIX A
ALLFLEX EUROPE UK LTD
Unit 7
Galalaw Business Park
Hawick
Roxburghshire
TD9 8PZ
Tel: 01450 364 120
Fax: 01450 364 121
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:www.allflex.co.uk
BROOKWICK WARD
88 Westlaw Place
Whitehill Estate
Glenrothes
Fife KY6 2RZ
Tel: 01592 630052
Fax: 01592 630109
COX SURGICAL
1, Greencroft Industrial Park
Stanley
County Durham
DH9 7YA
Tel: 0845 600 80 81
Fax: 0800 783 66 55
DALTON SUPPLIES LTD.
Accounts Departments, Dalton House,
Nettled, Henley-on-Thames
Oxon RG9 5AA
Tel: 01491 642500 or 0800 838882
Fax: 01491 419001 or 0800 7311957
DENIMEX
Northdown Business Park
Ashford Road
Lenham
Kent ME17 2DL
Tel: 01622 850057
Fax: 01622 850097
EARLSMERE I.D. SYSTEMS LTD.
Earlsmere House, Earlsmere Drive
Doncaster Road
Barnsley
Ardsley
South Yorkshire
S71 5EH
Tel: 01226 204096
Fax: 01226 244169
FEARING INTERNATIONAL
Brixworth
Northampton
NN6 9ND
Tel: 01604 881491
Fax: 01604 881616
E-mail: [email protected]
KETCHUM MANUFACTURING
COMPANY LTD
White Lodge
Tadworth Street
Tadworth
Surrey
KT20 3RE
Tel: 01737 812218
Fax: 01737 814372
MARKRITE TAGS
Priory Yard
Town Mills
Launceston
Cornwall
PL15 8HU
Tel: 01566 774268
Fax: 01566 774268
E-mail: [email protected]
RITCHEY TAGG LTD.
Masham
Ripon
North Yorkshire
HG4 4ES
Tel: 01765 689541
Fax: 01765 689851
ROXAN INTERNATIONAL
Broadmeadows
Yarrowford
Selkirk
TD7 5LZ
Tel/Fax: 01750 76288
E-mail: [email protected]
SHEARWELL DATA LTD.
Putham Farm
Wheddon Cross
Minehead
Somerset
TA24 7AS
Tel: 01643 841611
Fax: 01643 841628
SYMTAG
Unit 5
Poolbridge Workshops
Blackford
Nr Wedmore
Somerset
BS28 4PA
Tel: 01934 713626
Fax: 01934 713627
E-mail: [email protected]
UK ANIMAL LIVESTOCK LTD.
Unit B17
Whitwood
Enterprise Park
Castleford
WF10 5PX
Tel: 01977 667222
Fax: 01977 667333
E-mail: enquiries: [email protected]
orders: [email protected]
NORDIC STAR ltd
32 Portway
Frome
Somerset B11 1QU
Tel: 01373 455585
Fax: 01373 455584