GovWire

There are rules you must follow when you move cattle on and off your holding.

What a holding is

Your holding is the land and buildings you use to keep cattle (and any other livestock). The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) give each holding a unique county parish holding (CPH) number. A livestock business may have more than one holding and CPH number.

A single holding can cover the land and buildings within 10 miles of the main area you keep cattle. Youll need to give details of each location where youll keep cattle (and any other livestock) when you apply for a CPH number.

What a cattle movement is

Moving cattle, bison or buffalo to and from your holding is called a movement.

A movement happens any time animals are moved on or moved off your holding. It can include moving them:

• to and from a different holding or farm
• to your holding when you buy or import animals
• from your holding when you sell or export animals
• to a slaughterhouse
• to and from a showground or market

Before you move cattle

If this is the first time youll keep cattle, you must:

1. Apply for a county parish holding (CPH) number from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
2. Get a herd mark from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to use on ear tags to identify cattle.
3. Register with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) - so you can register births and deaths and get cattle passports.

Keep a holding register

Youll need to keep a holding register to record cattle births, deaths and movements. You must update this each time you move cattle on to or off your holding.

Read the general licences for moving cattle

You should read and follow the conditions of the general licence for moving cattle in England or the general licence for moving cattle in Wales. The licences set out the legal requirements for moving cattle.

When you move cattle within England and Wales

You must record and report cattle movements so that they can be traced at all times.

You need to make sure that any animal you want to move has:

• the correct ear tags
• a valid passport or certificate of registration
• a movement licence, if the animal does not have a passport

You must also:

• update your holding register within 36 hours
• record the movement onto your holding in the animals passport within 36 hours of arrival
• record the date of the movement off in the animals passport before it leaves the holding
• report the movement to BCMS within 3 days

Read the guidance on how to record and report cattle movements.

When you do not have to report and record cattle movements

You do not have to report and record cattle movements within 10 miles of the main area you keep them if:

• the land or buildings are registered to your CPH number - you can contact RPA to add them if youll use them permanently (for more than a year)
• the cattle will not mix with someone elses livestock

If youre using extra land or buildings temporarily within 10 miles of the main area you keep cattle, you can get a temporary land association.

This links the land or buildings with your CPH number, meaning you do not have to report and record movements.

You can only do this if:

• you plan to use the land or buildings for less than a year
• the cattle will not mix with someone elses livestock

When you must not move cattle

There are some situations when you must not move your cattle. If you do, you could be breaking the law and you could get a fine or be prosecuted.

Cattle without passports

You must not move any live cattle, bison or buffalo without a full passport. Find out what to do if your cattle does not have a passport.

Cattle born in the UK before August 1996

You will need to get a movement licence to move cattle born or reared in the UK before August 1996.

If your herd has movement restrictions

You must follow any movement restrictions placed on your whole herd or on individual animals.

If a restriction is put in place you will be given a notice that will tell you what you need to do to end the restrictions and any deadlines.

The standstill rule

The standstill rule helps reduce the spread of infectious diseases. It applies to the movement of cattle, sheep, goats and pigs.

If you move cattle, sheep, or goats on to your land from a different holding, for 6 days after you must not move off your holding any:

• cattle
• sheep
• goats
• pigs

If you move pigs on to your land from a different holding, you must not move any:

• cattle, sheep or goats off your holding for 6 days
• pigs off your holding for 20 days

Day 1 is the day after the animals arrival.

You do not have to follow the standstill rule if youre moving animals directly to slaughter, including to a red livestock market (slaughter-only market).

There are some other exemptions. Read the guidance on when you might be exempt from following standstill rules.

If you need help or advice, contact the Defra Rural Services helpline and choose the APHA option.