The Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2012

PART 3 IDENTIFICATION

Ear tags and tattoos

7.—(1) An ear tag shall be—

(a) easy to read during the pig’s lifetime;

(b) made of either metal or plastic or a combination of metal and plastic;

(c) tamper-resistant;

(d) incapable of re-use;

(e) designed to remain attached to the pig without harming it;

(f) printed with the keeper’s holding code.

(2) A person shall not sell or supply an ear tag except in accordance with the conditions of a licence issued by the Department.

(3) A tattoo shall be applied either by tattoo forceps, in which case it shall be on an ear, or by slap-marking equipment in which case it shall be on the shoulder.

(4) As an alternative to applying a tattoo by methods referred to in paragraph (3) a keeper may apply a tattoo to a shoulder of a pig by means of equipment which uses compressed air to drive the tattooing pins into the skin of the pig.

(5) A tattoo shall be easy to read during the pig’s lifetime.

(6) A tattoo shall bear a holding code or in the case of a pig being moved direct to slaughter, a tattoo may bear a holding code or curer mark.

Identification of pigs

8.—(1) Subject to paragraph (6), a person shall not move a pig off a holding unless it is identified in accordance with this article.

(2) A pig shall be identified with an ear tag bearing a holding code and an individual identification number by the time it reaches 6 months of age or before it is moved off the holding, whichever is earlier.

(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply in the case of a pig that is kept for meat production and which is under the age of 6 months. Any such pig may be identified with an ear tag or tattoo.

(4) When an individual identification number is applied to a pig, the same number shall not be applied to any other pig on the same holding.

(5) An identification mark applied on a holding shall bear the holding code or curer mark allocated to the keeper of that holding.

(6) Paragraphs (2) to (5) do not apply to a pig which was identified in accordance with the Aujeszky’s Disease Order (Northern Ireland) 1994.

Removing or defacing an identification mark

9.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person shall not remove or deface an identification mark except in accordance with the conditions of a licence issued by the Department.

(2) A person may remove an ear tag if the welfare of the pig requires urgent removal.

Replacement of an identification mark

10.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person shall not replace an identification mark applied under this Order or the Aujeszky’s Disease Order (Northern Ireland) 1994 except under the conditions of a licence issued by the Department.

(2) A keeper shall replace an identification mark if it has—

(a) become illegible;

(b) been removed for welfare reasons; or

(c) been lost.

(3) A keeper shall replace an identification mark to which paragraph (2) applies as soon as possible following discovery and in any event within 28 days of the discovery and shall either—

(a) apply a new identification mark and cross-refer that new identification mark with the original identification mark (if known) in the register kept in accordance with article 5; or

(b) if the original identification mark was applied on the holding, the keeper may apply an identical identification mark.

Additional requirements for export

11.  A keeper shall not move a pig off a holding for the purposes of intra-Community trade or export unless it has been identified with an eartag bearing a holding code and individual identification number, except in accordance with the conditions of a licence issued by the Department.

Additional requirements for movements of pigs to a show

12.  A person shall not move a pig off a holding—

(a) to a show; or

(b) for breeding purposes with the intention of returning the pig to the holding from which it was moved,

unless it is identified with an eartag bearing a holding code and individual identification number.

Identification of pigs moved onto a holding from outside the European Union

13.—(1) Subject to paragraph (3) a keeper importing a pig from outside the European Union shall apply an ear tag to the pig containing the following information, in the following order—

(a) the holding code of the holding into which the imported pig is introduced;

(b) an individual identification number;

(c) any other information, if the keeper wishes to apply such information; and

(d) the letter “F”.

(2) The ear tag shall be applied to the pig within 30 days of its arrival at the holding of destination and, in any event, before it is moved off that holding.

(3) If a new identification mark is applied, a keeper shall cross-refer the new identification mark with the original identification mark (if known) in the register kept in accordance with article 5.

(4) Paragraphs (1), (2) and (3) shall not apply in the case of a pig which is moved directly to a slaughterhouse and is slaughtered within 30 days of arrival in Northern Ireland.