Exporting UK livestock for breeding

British keepers no longer need to apply GB coded ear tags to cattle, sheep and goats that are being exported. Changes to EU legislation in 2023 mean that you can now move cattle, sheep and goats on their existing UK tags. Keepers will still need to apply a GB coded ear tag or tattoo for pigs.

You must ensure all livestock are tagged correctly so that they can be traced at all times. This is to help prevent and contain the spread of disease.

All livestock must be on a holding for at least 40 days before they are exported.  This is known as the residency requirement.

Exporters of live animals need an export health certificate (EHC) to export live animals including to Northern Ireland.

Welsh Government advise you to confirm identification requirements are compliant with the importer before the animals leave your holding. 

You cannot export cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or horses for fattening and slaughter. This applies to journeys from or through Great Britain to anywhere outside the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. 

You can still export live cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or horses for other purposes. For example, for breeding and competitions. 

Exports for fattening and slaughter from GB to Northern Ireland are permitted, but exports for fattening and slaughter from GB to the Republic of Ireland are not permitted.

Lambs not yet identified

Apply full EID tags with the “UK” prefix and animal identification number

Sheep with full EID tags with the “UK” prefix and animal identification number

Current identification acceptable.

Lambs identified with a Slaughter Tag

You cannot export lambs for breeding with a slaughter tag unless graded to full EID, provided they are fully traceable. The old and new identification numbers must be cross referenced in the flock book.

If the lambs are still on the holding of birth, the full EID replacements must be yellow, but for all lambs that are not on the holding of birth, the full EID replacement identifiers must be red.

Goats

The electronic identification of goats in Wales is voluntary. But, on export, they must have an EID tag bearing the ‘UK’ prefix and the animal identification number.

Calves not yet identified

Apply a pair of UK tags with the ‘UK’ prefix and animal identification number. 

Cattle identified with a pair of UK tags with the ‘UK’ prefix and animal identification number

Current identification acceptable.

Cattle being exported outside of the UK, will no longer need to be accompanied by their passport, and you will need to return the passports and a copy of their export health certificate to BCMS within 7 days of export. 

Cattle moving to Northern Ireland still need to be accompanied by their passport, but you will need to send a copy of the export health certificate to BCMS within 7 days.

Unidentified

Apply a visual tag or a tattoo bearing the ‘GB’ or ‘UK-GB’ prefix, the herdmark and unique identification number 

Pigs identified with an eartag,  tattoo or slapmark bearing a ‘UK’ prefix and the herdmark

Pigs intended for export must have an eartag or tattoo and it must display the ‘GB’ or ‘UK-GB’ prefix, herdmark and unique identification number

You must do this even if the pig has an existing ear tag, tattoo or slap marks from another holding or premises. This is because pigs must be identified with the herd mark for the holding they’re moved from.