The Sheep and Goats (Identification and Traceability) (Scotland) Regulations 2006

PART 6 Eartags

Approved eartags

24.—(1) No eartag shall be applied under the Council Regulation or these Regulations other than an eartag approved by the Scottish Ministers.

(2) For the purpose of paragraph (1) the Scottish Ministers shall only approve eartags which are–

(a) made of non degradable material;

(b) tamper proof;

(c) easy to read;

(d) designed to remain attached to an animal without being harmful to it;

(e) incapable of re use; and

(f) permanently marked with the information required by the Council Regulation or these Regulations and designed to remain so throughout an animal’s life.

Supplementary information

25.  In accordance with the second paragraph of Section A.2 of the Annex, at the request of a keeper, a manufacturer of approved eartags may add supplementary information to an eartag if the supplementary information is distinct from the identification code and the identification code remains legible at all times.

Red eartags

26.  No person shall attach a red eartag to an animal, other than an R eartag applied under the Council Regulation or these Regulations.

Application of flockmarks and herdmarks

27.  No person shall attach or apply to an animal an eartag or tattoo bearing a flockmark or herdmark, other than for the purpose of complying with the Council Regulation or these Regulations, unless authorised to do so by the Scottish Ministers.

Emergency veterinary treatment

28.  Any provision in the Council Regulation or these Regulations requiring the application of an eartag or tattoo to an animal before it is moved from a holding shall not apply if the movement is for the purpose of emergency veterinary treatment.

Prevention of pain and suffering

29.  Any provision in the Council Regulation or these Regulations requiring the application of an eartag or tattoo to an animal shall not apply where applying the means of identification would cause unnecessary pain or suffering to the animal.

Alteration of eartags etc

30.  No person shall alter, obliterate or deface the information on any eartag or tattoo applied to an animal under–

(a) the Council Regulation;

(b) these Regulations or any provision giving effect to the Council Regulation in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland or another member State;

(c) previous UK Orders or Regulations; or

(d) the Council Directive (in the case of an animal marked in another member State in accordance with that Directive).