Animal gatherings

There have been changes to collection centre conditions. Good standards of biosecurity on farms, at animal gatherings (which includes collection centres) and on livestock vehicles must be maintained to reduce the risk of spread of disease.

Livestock markets, shows, and collection centres are now known collectively as 'animal gatherings'. Such events must be licensed by the Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

In the guide
Biosecurity
Points to note

Biosecurity
A new biosecurity strategy came into force in March 2010. Whilst the risks from diseases such as foot and mouth remains the same as before, the methods of mitigating and dealing with those risks have been subject to a comprehensive and industry led review. The new regime still mitigates those risks to the same extent, but responsibility for some biosecurity measures has now been handed over to the industry to oversee and control. However, enforcement authorities can still take action if there is a biosecurity risk at a gathering.

Points to note
Please note the following, which will affect you when delivering/sending livestock to an animal gathering:

• all livestock must be fit for the intended journeys both into and from the collection centre. An animal will be considered unfit if it is:
  - lame (non-weight bearing on any foot)
  - injured
  - ill, infirm or fatigued
  - diseased
• you must arrive at the time you are allocated, if applicable, to prevent any unnecessary waiting or congregating of vehicles
• all cattle, sheep and pigs must be tagged in accordance with the relevant legislation
• leave 'disease' where it is by following good biosecurity measures every time you leave a premises with livestock
• you should ensure that you know the signs of notifiable diseases in animals and, if in doubt, seek veterinary advice as soon as possible
• do not come onto the premises with clothes or livestock vehicle (including a vehicle used to pull a trailer) contaminated with mud or other farm contamination
• facilities are provided for you to cleanse and disinfect your boots and scrub your hands. If you need to, use them
• handling animals can spread disease. You should wash your hands and clothing/footwear before you leave the premises
• you should cleanse and disinfect your livestock vehicle on site before leaving if at all possible
• be alert for any signs of disease in animals. If there is a suspect case while you are on the premises, be prepared to cooperate with the authorities in implementing the disease control contingency plan
• vehicles/trailers used to transport livestock into the collection centre must either be cleansed and disinfected or an 'undertaking to cleanse and disinfect' completed before leaving the collection centre
• destination addresses on the AML1 (sheep) or eAML2/hand written haulier summary sheet (pigs) must be that of the collection centre being moved to and not the final/end destination

For further information, please speak to the animal health inspector on duty.

Please note
This leaflet is not an authoritative interpretation of the law and is intended only for guidance. Any legislation referred to, while still current, may have been amended from the form in which it was originally enacted. Please contact us for further information.

Relevant legislation
Animal Health Act 1981
Disease Control (England) Order 2003
Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006
Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) (England) Order 2009
Animal Gatherings Order 2010
Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 2011

Last reviewed/updated: August 2012