The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (Slaughter and Vaccination) (Scotland) Regulations 2006

PART 1 Movement of live susceptible animals

Movement of susceptible animals during phase 1

1.—(1) During phase 1 no person shall move any susceptible animal within or out of a vaccination zone except for movement wholly within the same premises or movement under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) The Scottish Ministers shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (1) except for–

(a) the direct transport of animals from premises to a designated slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter–

(i) in the same vaccination zone; or

(ii) where there is no slaughterhouse in that vaccination zone, outside the vaccination zone; or

(b) the movement of animals from one part of premises to another part of the same premises using a public highway.

(3) The Scottish Ministers shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (1) unless–

(a) the Scottish Ministers have within the previous 24 hours caused to be carried out a clinical inspection on every susceptible animal on the premises; and

(b) they are satisfied that there is no suspicion of infection or contamination on the premises.

Movement of susceptible animals during phase 2

2.—(1) During phase 2, no person shall move any susceptible animal from or to any premises in a vaccination zone except under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) The Scottish Ministers shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (1) for the movement of animals from any reactor premises unless it is for the direct transport of animals to a slaughterhouse, for the purpose of immediate slaughter; and each of the animals has been subjected to a diagnostic test either for infection or for antibodies against non-structural proteins of the disease virus without a positive reaction to any such test.

(3) The Scottish Ministers shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (1) for any other movement of animals unless it is for–

(a) transport from premises classified under regulation 28(1)(b) as free of disease to a slaughterhouse for the purpose of immediate slaughter; or

(b) movement from one part of premises to another part of the same premises using a public highway.

(4) A licence granted under this paragraph (other than a licence for movement under sub-paragraph (3)(b)) shall require that–

(a) the animals do not come into contact with any other susceptible animals during transport or in the slaughterhouse; and

(b) the animals are accompanied during transport by a copy of the notice classifying their premises of origin under regulation 28(1)(b), certified as a true copy by an inspector.

(5) The occupier of any slaughterhouse to which susceptible animals are transported under the authority of a licence under this paragraph shall ensure that before slaughter each animal undergoes an ante-mortem health check at the slaughterhouse during the 24 hours before slaughter.

Movement of susceptible animals during phase 3

3.—(1) During phase 3, no person shall move any susceptible animal within or out of a vaccination zone except for movement wholly within the same premises or movement under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) The Scottish Ministers shall not grant a licence under sub-paragraph (1) for the movement out of a vaccination zone except where it is for the direct transport of animals from premises classified under regulation 28(1)(b) as free of disease to a slaughterhouse for the purposes of immediate slaughter and it includes the conditions in sub-paragraph (3).

(3) The conditions of this sub-paragraph are that–

(a) the animals do not come into contact with any other susceptible animals during transport; and

(b) the animals are accompanied during transport by a copy of the notice classifying their premises of origin under regulation 28(1)(b), certified as a true copy by an inspector.

(4) The Scottish Ministers shall not grant a licence under this paragraph for the movement of animals within a vaccination zone unless–

(a) it specifies a route to be taken which, in the opinion of the Scottish Ministers, ensures the animals are not exposed to infection during the journey, and either–

(i) the animals concerned are unvaccinated, and the conditions in sub-paragraph (5) have been complied with; or

(ii) the movement of animals is from one part of premises to another part of the same premises using a public highway.

(5) The conditions in this sub-paragraph are that–

(a) the Scottish Ministers have within the previous 24 hours caused to be carried out a clinical examination on every susceptible animal on the premises of origin and have not identified signs of the disease;

(b) every susceptible animal on the premises of origin has been kept there for at least 30 days;

(c) the premises of origin is not in a protection zone or a surveillance zone; and

(d) either

(i) every animal intended for transport has been tested by a veterinary inspector for antibodies against the disease virus after it has been on the premises of origin for a period at least as long as its incubation period with negative results; or

(ii) a serological survey pursuant to a sampling protocol suitable to detect 5% prevalence with at least 95% level of confidence has been completed on the premises of origin with negative result by a veterinary inspector.

(6) The Scottish Ministers shall not grant a licence under this paragraph for the movement of the unvaccinated offspring of a vaccinated dam unless either–

(a) the Scottish Ministers are satisfied that each animal has undergone a serological test by a veterinary inspector for the detection of antibodies against the disease with a negative result; or

(b) the licence is for movement to–

(i) premises within the vaccination zone with the same classification under regulation 28 (1) (b);

(ii) a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter; or

(iii) other specified premises in which case sub-paragraph (7) applies; or

(c) the licence is for the movement of animals from one part of premises to another part of the same premises using a public highway.

(7) Where this sub-paragraph applies, during phase 3 no person shall move any animal moved to specified premises from those premises except for–

(a) movement to a slaughterhouse for immediate slaughter; or

(b) movement from one part of premises to another part of the same premises using a public highway under the authority of a licence granted by the Scottish Ministers.

(8) The occupier of any slaughterhouse to which susceptible animals are transported under the authority of a licence granted under this paragraph from premises classified as free of disease under regulation 28(1)(b) shall ensure that–

(a) during the 24 hours before slaughter each animal undergoes an ante-mortem health check at the slaughterhouse; and

(b) at the slaughterhouse, the transported animals do not come into contact with other animals.

Cleansing and disinfection of vehicles transporting susceptible animals

4.—(1) The person in charge of any vehicle used to move susceptible animals under the authority of a licence granted under paragraph 1, paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 shall–

(a) subject to sub-paragraph (3), ensure that it is cleansed and disinfected without delay in accordance with Schedule 2 to the Transport of Animals (Cleansing and Disinfection) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 and any additional requirements an inspector may by written directions impose;

(b) make a record of the time and date of each cleansing and disinfection undertaken during phase 2 or phase 3;

(c) keep the record with the vehicle at all times; and

(d) retain the record for 6 months after the last such cleansing and disinfection.

(2) Such cleansing and disinfection shall be undertaken–

(a) before loading; and

(b) after unloading and before leaving the premises of destination.

(3) Such cleansing and disinfection shall also be undertaken after loading and before leaving the premises of origin in respect of the wheels and wheel arches only of the vehicle to ensure they are clean on leaving the premises.

Production of licences and unloading after licensed movements

5.—(1) This paragraph applies where any licence is granted for the movement of susceptible animals between premises under this Part, unless that licence provides otherwise.

(2) Where this paragraph applies, no person shall unload susceptible animals on premises to which they are moved unless that person first gives the movement licence to the occupier of those premises.

(3) Where this paragraph applies, the occupier of any premises to which susceptible animals are moved shall–

(a) forward the licence without delay to the local authority and, in the case of a slaughterhouse, provide a copy to any official veterinary surgeon appointed for that slaughterhouse;

(b) retain a copy of the licence for a period of 6 months and produce it on request for inspection by an inspector; and

(c) in the case of a collecting centre, ensure that susceptible animals are marked or tagged in accordance with the directions of the Scottish Ministers so as to enable the identity of the collecting centre and the premises from which they were moved to be established throughout their onward movement to a slaughterhouse.