Guidance

Guidance for suppliers of cattle, sheep and goat ear tags

Official ear tags for cattle, sheep and goats must undergo an approval process before they can be sold; suppliers must also be registered.

Published 6 May 2014
Last updated 24 August 2020 — see all updates
From:
British Cattle Movement Service
Applies to:
Wales, England, and Scotland

All sheep, goats and bovine animals (cattle, bison and buffalo, all referred to as ‘cattle’ below) in the UK must be fitted with ear tags of an officially approved type. Livestock keepers can only buy these official tags from a registered supplier.

The information below is in the process of being updated so manufacturers and accredited distributors should contact the Ear Tag Allocation System (ETAS) team at the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) for more information on the ear tag approval process.

Supply official ear tags

To supply official ear tags for cattle, or for sheep and goats, you must get an ear tag supplier’s number from the ETAS support team at BCMS.

To begin the registration process, download and complete the application form for an ear tag supplier’s number (PDF, 190KB, 1 page).

On this form, you must indicate if you will be supplying tags for cattle, sheep and goats, or all 3 species.

When sending in a new or modified tag for approval please download and complete the application form for a new or modified tag (PDF, 293KB, 3 pages). One form must be completed per new or modified tag.

You must also read:

Send your application form and signed code(s) of practice together to:

The Team Leader
BCMS ETAS Support
BCMS
Curwen Road
Workington
CA14 2DD

Get a new tag approved

To supply a new official ear tag for cattle, or for sheep and goats, you must:

  • read the documents listed above
  • get approval to proceed with testing from the ETAS support team
  • arrange for welfare assessments and specification tests
  • provide proof to the ETAS support team that your product meets EU regulations

Start an application to approve new ear tags

You must not submit tags to a UK-accredited laboratory for testing or carry out welfare testing until sample tags have been approved by the ETAS Support Team.

To request this approval to proceed with testing, send a written request and samples of each size and type of tag to:

BCMS ETAS Support
BCMS
Curwen Road
Workington
CA14 2DD

You need to include:

  • a minimum of 6 samples of the tag, printed with a number in the correct format
  • an ear tag applicator for fitting the tags
  • your proposed quality control procedures
  • instructions for inserting the tags, including images showing how the tag will be placed
  • your proposed marketing literature for the tags

The ETAS Support Team will inspect the tags and tell you whether you can go ahead with the welfare assessment.

Welfare assessment

At your own cost, you must arrange for a welfare assessment at 2 farms under the supervision of a vet.

The welfare assessment must fulfil the following requirements:

Requirement Cattle Sheep and goats
Period of assessment 21 days 3 months
Number of animals per batch of tags on each farm at least 25 calves at least 50 sheep
Location calves at one farm enclosed (not at grass) and at the other with access to pasture sheep at one farm on lowland and at the other on upland
Age of animals at start of assessment less than 20 days less than 6 months
Ear tag numbers ETAS will allocate the number sequence and enter them in the system on your behalf ETAS will allocate the number sequence to be used and you should access ETAS for a unique number sequence as normal and inform the ETAS Support Team
Loss and replacement of tags the assessment tags will take the place of the official tags for the duration of the assessment and are allowed to remain if the tag is approved; tags that fall out during the assessment should only be replaced with approved tags with the same unique number the assessment tags will take the place of the official tags for the duration of the assessment and are allowed to remain if the tag is approved; tags that fall out during the assessment should only be replaced with approved tags and not assessment tags
Veterinary assessment by the same vet at insertion of the tags, 7 days after insertion and 21 days after insertion at insertion of the tags, 3 weeks after insertion and 3 months after insertion

At the end of the assessment, the vet will send you a report and will let you know if you can submit the tags for specification tests.

Specification tests

At your own cost, you must arrange for an ISO17025 -accredited laboratory to test the new tags against Publicly Available Specifications (PAS):

You can find a lab through the UK Accreditation Service website.

When you receive the lab report, you must send a copy to the ETAS Support Team, who will inform you in writing within a month if your tags have been approved.

Get a modified tag approved

If you modify or adapt a previously approved UK ear tag for cattle, sheep or goats, you must have the tag approved by the ETAS support team before you can supply it commercially.

Send sample tags to the ETAS support team

The ETAS support team will examine your modified ear tag to determine if it needs further testing for approval.

Send a written request and a sample of the modified tag, with applicators, to:

BCMS ETAS Support
BCMS
Curwen Road
Workington
CA14 2DD

There is no specified maximum or minimum number of tags that you need to send. The ETAS support team will contact you if it needs more.

If the tag is approved

If the ETAS support team is satisfied with the tag, it will:

  • write to inform you that your tag has been approved
  • give you a new code for the modified tag
  • discuss with you how the tag will be named in the database

If the tag is not approved

If the ETAS support team is not satisfied that your modified tag is suitable, it will contact you to tell you how you need to change it. You may need to arrange for laboratory and/or welfare tests to be carried out before the tag is approved.

Electronic identifiers for sheep and goats

There are extra testing requirements to certify the performance of electronic identifiers used to identify sheep or goats. Contact the ETAS support team for up-to-date information.

Tagging information for livestock keepers

Keepers can find information on the rules for identifying their animals at these links:

Contact

ETAS

BCMS ETAS Support
BCMS
Curwen Road
Workington
Cumbria
CA14 2DD

For further information on supplying ear tags, including forms for access to ETAS and technical user guides.

Published 6 May 2014
Last updated 24 August 2020 + show all updates

  1. The application form for an ear tag supplier or manufacturer's number has been updated and redesigned in an accessible format.

  2. Added application form for a new or modified tag

  3. New versions of the Guidance notes to applicants for approval of cattle eartags and Guidance notes to applicants for approval of sheep and goats eartags added. Publication of the Bovine Official EID technical standards, EID approval standards for sheep and goats and Service Standards documents.

  4. Updated links to the 2019 editions of the ear tag PAS documents.

  5. Updated 'Annex C NOTES FOR GUIDANCE SHEEP GOATS' and 'Annex C NOTES FOR GUIDANCE CATTLE' documents

  6. First published.

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