GovWire

Cattle, bison and buffalo must be registered when you import or move them to England or Wales so their movements can be traced at all times. This is to prevent and contain the outbreak of disease.

To register cattle, you must:

• make sure they have the correct ear tags
• apply for a cattle passport

Without the correct ear tags or passports, you cannot sell or move the animal.

When you do not need to apply for a passport or replace ear tags

You do not need to apply for passports or replace ear tags if:

• you move cattle from Scotland to England or Wales - you must report and record the cattle movements and update your holding register instead
• cattle are being imported or moved directly to a slaughterhouse in England or Wales

Cattle imported from the EU or moved from Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

When to replace ear tags

Animals from the EU, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man will keep the ear tags from their country of origin for life.

You do not need to replace ear tags from the country of origin unless one is missing. You must order a replacement within 28 days of noticing that one is missing. Contact an approved ear tag supplier to get a replacement.

When to apply for a passport

You must apply for a cattle passport within 15 days of the animal arriving at your holding. Send to the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS):

• your completed passport application form (CPP16)
• the export health certificate that arrived with the animal
• any original passport or identity document that arrived with the animal

Cattle moved from the Republic of Ireland

Cattle born and registered in the Republic of Ireland since 1 January 2018 have the country code 372 on their ear tags. But the country code will show as IE on:

• Cattle Tracing System (CTS) Online
• the passport issued by BCMS
• any replacement tags ordered while the animal is in England or Wales

This is because the systems BCMS use to trace animals can only accept 2-letter codes.

Either code is correct and will be accepted when moving and selling animals.

Ear tags ordered through the Livestock Unique Identification Service (LUIS) will show IE as the country code.

Cattle imported from outside the EU, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

Update your holding register

Within 36 hours of the animal arriving on your holding, you must update your holding register.

Remove and replace ear tags

Within 20 days of the animal leaving the border control post, or before it leaves your holding if sooner, you must:

• remove any original ear tags - you may need a vet to do this
• tag the animal with official UK ear tags from an approved ear tag supplier

You must also update your holding register again with the new UK ear tag information within 36 hours of the animals new identity being given.

Apply for a cattle passport

Within 15 days of the ear tagging deadline, you must apply for a cattle passport.

You need to send:

• your completed passport application form (CPP16)
• the export health certificate that arrived with the animal
• any original passport or identity document that arrived with the animal

Send your documents to:

What happens next

Youll usually get your cattle passport within 14 days.

Read the guidance on how to get, correct or update a cattle passport if theres a problem with your passport, or it does not arrive.

Contact BCMS

You can contact BCMS for advice.