Animal welfare

Keeping livestock on smallholdings

Anyone intending to keep livestock, specifically cattle, pigs, sheep and goats, must register before obtaining the animals.

There are strict laws relating to the keeping of livestock. If you are a keeper you must:

Obtain a holding number from the Rural Payments Agency, in Newcastle.
Tel: 0845 603 7777.
Register with your local Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) office as a pig / sheep / goat keeper. DEFRA will issue you with a herd or flock number.
Complete a licence for any movement of pigs, sheep and goats on or off your premises. A licence is also required for taking a pet pig for a walk outside your land. See pig movements.
Keep records of such movements in a herd or flock book (copies available from the Animal Health Section, Tel: 0845 603 7777).
Cattle keepers should be registered with BCMS (British Cattle Movements Service).
Tel:0845 0501234 or register online: Cattle Movement Registration|.
(Please note: on 1 August 2011 the cattle passport changed to a single-page passport).

Further information can be found at Defra: Farm animals| and Animal Health|.

Livestock movements and identification

In the aftermath of the first Foot and Mouth outbreak a rigorous regime of licensing was introduced which controls the movement of a range of animals.

Those animals whose movements have to be licensed are sheep, goats, pigs and deer. This allows movements to be traced should an outbreak of disease occur.

The conditions which apply to these movements vary according to the type of animal, the destination and the type of trip. In addition, these conditions are subject to regular review and it is important that you make yourself aware of the latest conditions before moving livestock.

Please ensure any post movement licences (AML1 - Sheep and Goats and AML24 - Deer) for livestock moved within or into the Calderdale area are sent to the Animal Health Team within 3 days of the move. The address can be found on the contacts page for the Commercial Team.

Pig movements from the 30th September 2011

For pig movements only a new eAML2 service will allow anyone moving pigs to report movements electronically using a web service, mobile phone or digital pen and paper. The fully operational service will be able to handle movements to any type of destination.

Changes and transitional arrangements

From 1st of October 2011 existing AML2 forms may still be used to report movements, for a transitional period, but must be sent to:
MLCSL
Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth
Warwickshire CV8 2TL

and not your Local Authority.

From April 2012 movements cannot be reported on the old AML2 forms. For further information visit BPEX eAML2 |.

Information relating to the rules for livestock movements and identifying your animals is available under 'registering your species': Animal Health|.

Further information is also available from Defra: Defra: Farm animals|.

For copies of movement licences contact the Commercial Team: