Tag, record and report sheep and goats for export
What tags to use when exporting or moving sheep and goats to the EU or Northern Ireland, 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 want to:
- export to the EU
- move to Northern Ireland
- transit through the EU or Northern Ireland
There are other rules for exporting, for example having the necessary health certificates. Read about:
How to tag sheep and goats for export
You must use an approved combination of tags for sheep and goats you want to export.
All animals must:
- be double tagged with an EID (electronic identification) tag and a visual tag
- have a third tag with the GB country code if their double tags do not display ‘GB’ or ‘UK-GB’ - this tag must display the same individual official identification number as the double tags
| EID (electronic identification) tag | Visual (non-EID) tag | Third tag with GB country code |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow EID ear tag | Ear tag (any colour except yellow, red or black) | Optional GB tag if double tags do not display ‘GB’ or ‘UK-GB’ |
| Yellow EID ear tag | Green pastern band (any colour except yellow, red or black but only green is being supplied) | Optional GB tag if double tags do not display ‘GB’ or ‘UK-GB’ |
| EID bolus (ingested by the animal) | Black ear tag with ‘B’ printed on it | Optional GB tag if double tags do not display ‘GB’ or ‘UK-GB’ |
Animals which are already double tagged
You must add a third tag which has GB on it (for example, GB 0123456 00001 or UK-GB 0 123456 00001) if the existing pair of tags do not display ‘GB’ or ‘UK-GB’.
This must:
- have the same official identification number as the existing tags
- not be yellow or red (or black if the animal is tagged with an EID bolus)
Lambs or kids that you’re tagging for the first time
You must use either:
- double UK tags which have GB on them (for example, GB 0 123456 00001 or UK-GB 0 123456 00001)
- a third tag which has GB or UK-GB on it, if the animal’s double tags do not state GB on them
Lambs or kids you’ve already tagged for slaughter
Remove the animal’s slaughter tag. You must then tag it with either:
- double tags which have GB on them (for example, GB 0 123456 00001 or UK-GB 0 123456 00001)
- a third tag which has GB or UK-GB on it, if the animal’s double tags do not state GB on them
Before you replace a lamb or kid’s slaughter tag with adult tags, you must be able to trace the animal back to its holding of birth.
Replacement tags applied to an animal not born on the holding must be red. The third tag with the GB country code must not be yellow or red.
Where to buy tags
Buy 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.
Replacing lost or damaged tags
You must replace a lost or damaged tag within 28 days or before you export or move the animal if this is sooner.
What to record in your holding register
You must record the:
- animals’ official identification numbers before they move off your holding
- date of the movement off your holding within 36 hours
If you’re moving animals to an assembly centre
Within 36 hours, you must record the:
- date of the movement off your holding
- total number of animals moved
Find out how to keep a holding register.
Report the off movement to the Livestock Information Service
You must report the movement to the Livestock Information Service (LIS) within 3 days of the animals leaving your holding.
Find out how to report a movement to the LIS.
If you use common land
You cannot export or move animals directly from common land.
You must bring the animals back to your holding, follow the standstill rule and check they are tagged correctly before you can export 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.