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Movement Records
All keepers of livestock (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs & deer) must keep movement records, a record of veterinary medicines used and, in some cases, breeding records.
To order a new livestock movement book (which are available free of charge to North Somerset farmers and smallholders) please contact us
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Identification of sheep and goats
IMPORTANT
View the full 'Guidance for Keepers' Handbook. (pdf)
View the Regulations on electronic ID in full.
The latest information on the introduction of Electronic Identification of sheep and goats (EID), which came into effect on 1 January 2010, is available on the Defra website.
If you are a North Somerset sheep or goat keeper and you would like any further information please go to Defra's web site, or
contact us.
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Movement of sheep, pigs and goats
Whenever sheep, goats or pigs are moved, a movement document
AML1 (sheep and goats) or
AML2 (pigs),
must be completed.
The premises of destination must send the white copy of this form to their local Trading Standards office within 3 days of the movement.
The details of the movement are then recorded on the Government's national computer database (known as AMLS) which traces all livestock movements and keeps a check on
standstill periods.
If the destination is in North Somerset, the form can either be sent to our office address (see Contact Us ) or faxed to 01275 888675.
To order supplies of sheep, goat or pig movement forms (free of charge) please contact us
Additional information on the movement of sheep and goats can be found in our business advice leaflet.
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Standstill periods
A 'standstill' period of 6 days applies to all stock (including pigs) whenever cattle, sheep, or goats are moved onto a holding.
When pigs are moved onto the holding a 20 day 'standstill' applies to all pigs on the farm and a 6 day standstill is triggered for cattle, sheep and goats.
This means that until the 'standstill' period expires no stock can be moved off of the premises other than to slaughter or direct to a 'slaughter only' market.
There are, however, a few exceptions to the standstill period
- if in doubt contact us or go to the Defra website
NOTE: Whenever there is an outbreak of disease in the UK the standstill period may be changed.
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BSE Monitoring - Death of cattle Over 48 Months of age
Changes to the law mean that, from January 2009, BSE testing is now only carried out on cattle that die over 48 months of age.
Cattle keepers are legally required to ensure that the carcase of any bovine that dies aged 48 months or over is delivered to a specially licensed testing facility.
To find your nearest licensed testing facility please contact Defra on 08459 33 55 77
The free collection, testing and disposal service that was in being up until 31 December 2008 no longer exists.
Further information can be obtained from Defra's BSE testing Information Bulletin (399/08) (Dated 23 December 2008).
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Horse Passports
All horses, ponies and certain other equines in England must now have a 'Horse Passport'.
This legislation brings the UK into line with the rest of Europe. It underpins a robust control system to ensure that horses, which have been treated with veterinary medicines not authorised for use in food-producing animals, cannot be slaughtered for human consumption. Moreover, it will contribute to allowing the UK horse industry to continue to use such medicines on horses not intended for the human food chain.
A horse's passport must be presented whenever:-
- it is moved into or out of Great Britain;
- it is moved to a competition or show;
- it is moved to the premises of a new keeper;
- it is presented at a slaughterhouse for slaughter;
- it is sold; or
- it is used for breeding purposes.
Further information can be obtained from Defra's horse passport website
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Ragwort (Senecio Jacobaea)
Ragwort (sometimes known as ragweed) is a regular problem for keepers of livestock, particularly during the summer months, due to it's toxic effect on animals which eat it.
"Ragwort is one of five injurious weeds covered by the provisions of The Weeds Act 1959. Ragwort is poisonous to horses, ponies, donkeys and other livestock, and causes liver damage, which can have potentially fatal consequences. Under the Weeds Act 1959, the Secretary of State may serve an enforcement notice on the occupier of land on which injurious weeds are growing, requiring the occupier to take action to prevent the spread of injurious weeds."
To find out more (including advice on what to do if ragwort is threatening your livestock) go to Defra's Ragwort information page.
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Tuberculosis in cattle(TB)
The number of cases of Bovine Tuberculosis is continuing to rise, particularly in the South West of England. New legislation aimed at controlling the spread of the disease has been introduced.
The controls include pre-movement testing for certain categories of cattle and a more robust testing regime.
Full details of the new strategy for dealing with Tuberculosis in cattle, together with information about the randomised badger culling trials, the economic impact of the disease and other related topics can be found at the Tuberculosis section of Defra's website.
Read the latest report of the Bovine TB Eradication Group for England
Full TB statistics (Regularly updated)
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Fallen stock and their disposal
The law regarding the disposal of fallen stock and other 'animal by-products' changed on 1st May 2003.
NOTE: It is no longer legal to bury, on farm, the carcases of fallen stock or stillborn animals.
For information about fallen cattle see the BSE Monitoring section above.
The government has participated in the start up of a national disposal scheme for fallen stock which started operations on 22nd November 2004.
Further information can be obtained from Defra or the National Fallen Stock Company
Nb There are specific guidelines for the disposal of horses (including exemptions for those kept as pets) which can be found on
Defra's website.
The National Fallen Stock Company also operate a telephone helpline for farmers on 0845 054 8888
A guidance document is also available in our Business Advice Section.
Thinking of travelling abroad? Considering returning with meat or other food products?
There have been some important changes to the law about transporting livestock which you may have heard something about.
To help you decide whether these changes may affect you we have produced this guidance.
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Pet Travel Scheme
The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS for short) is the system that allows pet animals from certain countries to enter the UK without quarantine as long as they meet the rules. It also means that people in the UK can, having taken their pets to these countries, bring them back without the need for quarantine.
More details of the 'PETS' scheme can be found on our 'PETS' page or at the Defra Travelling with Pets page.
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Waste food and feeding pigs
The Animal By-Products Regulations 2005 ban the feeding of meat, fish and most other products of animal origin to ruminants, pigs or poultry. They also make it an offence to allow them to have access to such material and they prohibit any catering waste being fed, whether processed or not.
Catering waste is defined as all waste food, whether raw or cooked, including used cooking oils, which arise in premises such as:
- Household kitchens
- Restaurants
- Fish and Chips / Pizza / Kebab shops
- Takeaway shops
- Canteens
- Cafes; or
- Vegetarian kitchens / restaurants
It also includes food waste from other premises (food factories, distribution warehouses etc.) that contains or has been in contact with animal by-products (such as raw eggs, meat, fish products) and this must not be fed to farmed animals.
Further information and detailed guidance can be obtained from Defra's
"Animal By-Products: catering waste" web page.
See also the Food Waste section of our A - Z of waste disposal.
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Guidance leaflets
Guidance leaflets on a range of animal health & welfare issues, including:-
- Animal Transport
- Animal Transport Journey Times
- Construction of Livestock Transport Vehicles
- Guidance on the disposal of farm animal carcasses (animal by-products)
- Horse Passports (England) Regulations 2003
- Requirements for cattle identification
- Records and Movement of Sheep and Goats
- Collection centre conditions
- Animal Health Act 1981 and the Sheep Scab Order 1997, and
- Sheep and Goats Identification
are available in the business advice section of this website
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North Somerset Show
The North Somerset Agricultural Society is the organisation responsible for the North Somerset Show, held annually at Bathing Pond Fields, Tyntesfield, Wraxall near Bristol.
Full details of the annual shows and other events can be found at the Society's website.
If you are taking livestock to the show - remember:-
- Horses attending the show MUST be accompanied by their passport;
- Cattle must be properly tagged (double tagged) and accompanied by their passports - don't forget to send in the movement card to BCMS;
- Sheep, pigs and goats must be properly tagged with an individual number and transported with an AML1 (sheep & goats) or an AML2 (Pigs) going to and returning from the show;
- Vehicles transporting livestock MUST be cleansed and disinfected BEFORE animals are loaded into it. Further advice on this issue can be found on Defra's website;
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On-Farm feeding of livestock
Farmers mixing medicated feed for therapeutic purposes must be registered with, and approved by, the Animal Medicines Inspectorate [AMI], a division of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate [VMD]. The AMI produce their own guidance notes for those using medicated feed and zootechnical products.
All other farmers, feeding any type of feed to livestock, with or without any additives, must be registered with their local Trading Standards Department.
If you think you may need to register please Contact Us.
Defra's AMES database
Defra operates the Animal Health & Welfare Management & Enforcement System (AMES). This is the computer database that local authorities use to record their work in relation to Animal Health & Welfare duties. The database consequently holds up to date information about any person with whom we have dealings under Animal Health & Welfare legislation.
A 'Fair Processing Notice', issued under the Data Protection Act, together with advice on how to access data which may be held about you is available by clicking here.
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Bluetongue Disease
Farmers seeking advice on the latest situation regarding Bluetongue Disease and the restrictions applicable in North Somerset and across the UK should either:-
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Livestock Welfare
The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 require keepers of livestock to ensure their welfare is not compromised.
To this end Defra have issued a number of welfare codes that keepers of commercial livestock must adhere to.
The following welfare codes are available:-
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North Somerset Council Trading Standards
North Somerset Council, Trading Standards Service, Somerset House, Oxford Street, Weston super Mare, Somerset, BS23 1TG
Telephone: 01275 884118 Fax: 01275 888683
Electronic Mail: trading.standards@n-somerset.gov.uk
