The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) (England) Order 2009

PART 3 Identification of animals not identified before 31 December 2009

Identification of animals not identified before the 31st December 2009

9.—(1) This article applies to—

(a) sheep born before 31st December 2009 which are not identified before that date and are on their holding of birth;

(b) sheep born on or after 31st December 2009;

(c) goats born before 31st December 2009 that are not identified before that date and are on their holding of birth whose keepers chose to identify them electronically; and

(d) goats born on or after 31st December 2009 whose keepers chose to identify them electronically.

(2) A keeper must comply with Article 4(1) (first paragraph), Article 4(2)(a) and (b) and Article 9(3) of the Council Regulation and this article unless the alternative identification method set out in article 10 is authorised.

(3) For the purpose of Article 4(1) of the Council Regulation, the time limits for identifying an animal are—

(a) 9 months from the date of birth, in the case of an animal kept in extensive or free range farming conditions; or

(b) 6 months from the date of birth, in the case of any other animal.

(4) No animal may be identified by the use of a bolus in combination with a tattoo.

(5) The identification code on a means of identification for the purposes of Section A.2. of the Annex to the Council Regulation must be—

(a) the letters “UK” or, on an electronic identification device, the numbers “826”; and

(b) a 12 digit number prescribed by the Secretary of State;

and must be identical on the first and second means of identification.

Identification of animals intended for slaughter

10.—(1) For animals intended for slaughter before the age of 12 months and not intended for export, the identification method in Section A.7 of the Annex to the Council Regulation is authorised.

(2) The identification code for the purposes of Section A.7 of the Annex to the Council Regulation must be the letters “UK” followed by the flockmark or herdmark; no other number issued by the competent authority may be visibly recorded on this eartag.

(3) Where it is intended to slaughter after the age of 12 months or to export an animal identified under paragraph (1) that animal must be identified in accordance with article 9 and the original eartag removed.

(4) A keeper may re-identify under article 9 an animal identified under this article and need not slaughter that animal before the age of 12 months only if—

(a) the animal is on its holding of birth;

(b) the animal has moved to its present holding directly from its holding of birth or from its holding of birth via a market and its tag contains a unique electronic identifier; or

(c) the keeper has a complete record of all the animal’s movements.

(5) Where an animal is re-identified under paragraph (4)(b) and its tag contains a unique electronic identifier that unique identifier must be cross-referenced to the new identification code in the holding register.

(6) A keeper may re-identify an animal identified under paragraph (1) by using an eartag of the kind described in paragraph (2) which includes an electronic identifier but may not then re-identify that animal according to article 9 unless the animal is still on its holding of birth.

(7) Where an animal is re-identified under this article and it is no longer on its holding of birth the keeper must cross-reference the old and new identification codes in the holding register.