The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2005

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of this Order)

This Order makes provision for the administration and enforcement in Northern Ireland of Council Regulation (EC) No 21/2004 (establishing a system for the identification and registration of ovine and caprine animals and amending Regulation (EC) No 1782/2003 and Directives 92/102/EEC and 64/432/EEC). It revokes and replaces the Identification and Movement of Sheep and Goats Order (Northern Ireland) 2004 (as amended).

Part I of the Order deals with the notification of holdings. Any person who keeps an animal on a holding is required to notify certain particulars to the Department. On receiving a notification, the Department may allocate a holding number and a flock or herd number (Article 3).

Part II of the Order deals with eartags. Article 5 provides that the Department will approve the design of eartags and that all eartags shall be manufactured, sold or supplied in accordance with a Departmental authorisation.

Part III of the Order deals with the identification of animals. A green approved eartag must be attached to the left ear of an animal born on or after 9th July 2005 within 9 months of birth or before the animal leaves the holding. An animal born prior to this date must be tagged before it leaves the holding (Articles 8 and 9). A system to replace the second means of identifying an animal is specified in Article 10 and Schedule 1. Provision is made for the identification of imported animals (Articles 12 and 13). The alteration or removal of any eartag, tattoo or electronic transponder is prohibited (Article 14).

Part IV of the Order makes provision for the enforcement of Article 5 of the Council Regulation (the requirement for every keeper to keep an up-to-date holding register) It provides for the format of the register as set out in Schedule 2 and specifies record keeping requirements under the Order (Articles 15 and 16). An annual inventory of animals must be conducted and the findings communicated to the Department (Article 18).

Part V of the Order makes provision for the enforcement of Article 6 of the Council Regulation (the requirement for a movement document to accompany an animal whenever it moves between holdings) and sets out the form of the movement document in Schedule 3 (Article 18). Article 19 provides for electronic notification and Article 20 specifies requirements for movement and market dispatch documents. Article 21 imposes certain obligations on market operators.

Part VI of the Order deals with miscellaneous matters. An animal exported to a member State must have a blue approved eartag attached to its left ear (Article 22). Articles 23 and 24 place obligations on the operators of slaughterhouses, processing plants, collection centres and incineration plants. Article 25 enables an inspector to prohibit or restrict the movement of animals in certain circumstances. Article 26 provides for the issue of authorisations etc under the Order and Article 27 contains transitional and saving provisions.