Livestock movement / licensing - including markets

The Animal Movement Licensing Regime is not always applicable during a disease outbreak. Please see the Latest News Section for any new disease developments that have an impact on animal movement / licences.

Animal licensing
A 6 day movement standstill restriction applies to cattle, sheep and goats, and a 20 day standstill applies for pigs.

Exemptions are in place from the standstill periods allowing for movement direct to a slaughter-houses or a 'dedicated slaughter market'. (You need to check the 'status' of the market, if you wish to take advantage of this exemption. You cannot move slaughter animals to a 'mixed' store and slaughter livestock market if you are under a standstill, because of the presence of the 'store' animals at the market).

A regime for breeding movements involving Defra approved on-farm isolation is also in place. Details are available in the General Licences, (available as shown on this page). Isolation units may be used for shows throughout the year, but their use for breeding is restricted from 1 August until 30 November each year.

Detailed leaflets describing all rules for movement / licensing have been sent by Defra to producers. These plus guidance notes and copies of General Licences for each livestock species can also be found on the Defra website.

Sheep, goats and pigs need movement documents and these are available from this service and other organisations such as AFS / ABM. Please note that we do not reproduce them on this website because the forms are quadruple, four colour, self carbon pads. Contact us to obtain copies (there is no cost involved).

All movement documents must be completed as far as possible prior to movement. Typically the only detail that is completed upon arrival at destination is the signature of the person in charge at the destination premises and the destination holding number. The keeper at the departure premises should fill in the destination address.

The yellow copy remains at the departure point, the pink and white forms are handed to the receiver at the point of destination and the blue copy is retained by the haulier. It is the receiver of the animals' responsibility to ensure that ‘the white copy’ is then sent to their local Trading Standards Office within three days of the movement taking place.

Please note that practically all movements of sheep, goats and pigs (regardless of their destination) must be moved under the new movement documentation or individual licence. This includes movements to and from markets (including 'reject' sheep returning home) and slaughter-houses.

There are some permitted exceptions however; such as movement within five miles under the same management and control and between sole occupancy licensed premises under five miles. Individual General Licences give full details of the current situation, to be read in conjunction with the guidance for sheep identification and movement produced by Defra.

Vehicle cleansing and disinfection rules have not fundamentally changed since 2003 when it became compulsory that the towing vehicles' wheels, wheel arches and mud-flaps must also be cleansed and disinfected whenever any trailer is used.

General Licences
All livestock owners / keepers must comply with General Licence conditions when moving livestock without an individual licence. The General Licence is species specific, so that if you keep cattle and sheep, you will need to know the requirements of the two separate applicable licences.

Markets
Strict bio-security measures are in place:

• You cannot handle livestock at all (i.e. condition score sheep etc.) unless you are registered to do so as a buyer or vendor, and you are wearing suitable clothing free from visible signs of contamination, and footwear capable of being cleansed and disinfected. Registration takes place via market vendor and buyer documentation.
• Personal bio-security as well as vehicle cleansing and disinfection remain a vital defence in ensuring that the possibility of reoccurrence and particularly the rapid spread of Foot and Mouth, (or any other notifiable disease) is reduced.

Please make sure you understand and are fully aware of all market rules, and please ensure you follow all the guidance on cleansing and disinfection and all directions from market staff, or Animal Health Inspectors who will be in attendance on market days.

Please ask if you are not sure, we are here to help.

If you require any advice or movement documents contact the animal health team.

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