Tag, record and report imported sheep and goats
When and how to tag sheep and goats imported into England, what to record in your holding register and how to report the movement.
Applies to England
You must ensure sheep and goats are tagged correctly so that they can be traced at all times. This is to help prevent and contain the spread of disease.
These are the identification and tracing rules to follow when you import sheep and goats into England.
There are other rules for importing, for example having the necessary health certificates. Read about:
- importing or moving livestock from the EU
- importing or moving livestock from non-EU countries
- transiting animals through Great Britain
How to tag imported sheep and goats
Sheep and goats from the rest of the UK and the EU
You do not have to replace the ear tags on sheep or goats brought to your holding from:
- the rest of the UK
- EU
They can keep the ear tags they already have. Find out about:
- how sheep must be tagged in England
- how goats must be tagged in England
You must replace a lost or damaged tag within 28 days of noticing the tag loss or damage. You must replace the tag with either:
- a replica of the original tag, showing the original identification number
- a pair of red UK tags (one tag must be an electronic identification (EID) tag if a sheep)
Sheep and goats from a non-EU country
Within 14 days of the animals arriving on to your holding, you must:
- remove any existing tags
- replace them with a pair of red UK tags (one tag must be an EID tag if a sheep)
Where to buy replacement tags
Buy replacement tags from ear tag suppliers approved by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
When ordering tags, you’ll need the county parish holding (CPH) number and flock or herd mark for where you keep the animal.
What to record in your holding register
Sheep and goats from the rest of the UK and the EU
You must record:
- replacement tags within 36 hours of applying the tags
- the movement within 36 hours of the animals arriving on to your holding
Sheep and goats from a non-EU country
You must record:
- the original and replacement tags within 14 days of the animals arriving on to your holding
- the movement within 36 hours of the animals arriving on to your holding
Find out how to keep a holding register.
Report the on movement to the Livestock Information Service
You must report the movement to the Livestock Information Service (LIS) within 3 days of the animals arriving on to your holding.
Find out how to report a movement to the LIS.
If you use common land
You cannot import animals directly to common land.
You must import them to your holding and follow the standstill rule before you can move them.
Common land is land owned by one or more persons where other people, known as ‘commoners’ have rights to use the land, usually for grazing.