The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) (Scotland) Order 2009

PART 3 Removal and replacement of identification

Removal and replacement of means of identification

14.—(1) A person must not remove, unless for the purpose of preventing suffering to an animal, or replace, any means of identification attached to an animal otherwise than in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 4(6) of the Council Regulation.

(2) Subject to article 27, where the means of identification of an animal has been removed or lost or has become illegible, the keeper, other than a slaughterhouse operator, must apply replacement identification to the animal in accordance with this Order as soon as possible but, in any event—

(a) before the animal is moved from the holding; and

(b) no later than 28 days after the identification is ascertained to have been removed or lost or to have become illegible.

Replacement identification

15.—(1) In accordance with the first paragraph of Article 4(6) of the Council Regulation where one of an animal’s means of identification has been removed or lost or has become illegible the keeper, other than a slaughterhouse operator, must replace that means of identification with—

(a) a means of identification bearing the same identification code; or

(b) remove the remaining identification device, re-identify the animal and cross reference the old and new identification code in the holding register.

(2) Where both means of identification of an animal has been removed or lost or has become illegible the keeper, other than a slaughterhouse operator, must replace that means of identification in accordance with article 5 and, if known, cross reference the old and new identification code in the holding register.

(3) If the animal is no longer on its holding of birth, or it is unknown if the animal is on its holding of birth, the keeper must use a red means of identification.

Replacement identification for animals identified according to article 7

16.—(1) Where an animal identified in accordance with article 7 loses its eartag and is on its holding of birth, the keeper must replace the eartag with an eartag bearing the same flockmark or herdmark of that holding.

(2) Where an animal identified in accordance with article 7 loses its eartag and is not on its holding of birth, or if the keeper does not know if it is on its holding of birth, the keeper shall replace the eartag with a red eartag bearing the flockmark or herdmark of the holding the animal is now on.

Removal or replacement identification for animals identified before 31st December 2009

17.—(1) A person must not remove, unless for the purpose of preventing suffering to an animal, or replace, any means of identification attached to an animal identified before 31st December 2009 otherwise than in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 4(6) of the Council Regulation.

(2) Subject to article 27, where the means of identification of an animal has been removed or lost or has become illegible, the keeper, other than a slaughterhouse operator, must apply replacement identification to the animal in accordance with this Order as soon as possible but, in any event—

(a) before the animal is moved from the holding; and

(b) no later than 28 days after the identification is ascertained to have been removed or lost or to have become illegible.

Replacement of a single identification mark on a double-tagged animal

18.—(1) Where a keeper is required by article 14 to replace a single lost or illegible identification mark on a double tagged animal, the keeper may do so with a means of identification with an identical identification code.

(2) A keeper may, as an alternative to the method of replacement described in paragraph (1), instead, subject to article 30, remove any remaining tag and identify it in accordance with Article 4(1) (first paragraph) and (2)(a) and (b) and Article 9(3) of the Council Regulation.

(3) If an animal to be re-identified under paragraph (2) has a metal tag the keeper must not remove that tag but the identification code it bears must not be used in all further recordings of the animal’s identity.

(4) A keeper may replace the identification mark of an animal in the manner described in paragraph (2) even when no replacement is required by article 14.

(5) A keeper may, as an alternative to the method of replacement described in paragraph (2) instead, subject to article 30 remove the remaining tag and replace it with 2 non–electronic red tags bearing the same unique number.

(6) When an animal is re-identified and is not on its holding of birth the keeper shall record in the holding register both the old identification, if known, and the new identification.

Replacement of identification marks on animals with no remaining means of identification

19.  Where the keeper is required to replace a means of identification on an animal bearing no means of identification, the keeper must replace the lost means of identification with—

(a) means of identification bearing the same unique number as the lost means of identification;

(b) 2 non-electronic means of identification, both bearing the same number; or

(c) the means of identification specified in Article 4(1) (first paragraph) and (2)(a) and (b) and Article 9(3) of the Council Regulation.

Identification of goats not identified before 31st December 2009

20.—(1) Where a goat is on its holding of birth and has not been identified before 31st December 2009, the keeper must identify it within the time limits specified in article 5(3) with—

(a) the means of identification specified in Article 4(1) (first paragraph) and (2)(a) and (b) and Article 9(3) of the Council Regulation;

(b) 2 eartags;

(c) an eartag and a pastern mark; or

(d) an eartag and a tattoo.

(2) The identification code on any means of identification described in paragraph (1) must be—

(a) the letters “UK”; and

(b) a 12 digit number in accordance with a numbering scheme approved by the Scottish Ministers,

which must be identical on the first and second means of identification.

Re-identification of goats

21.  Goats identified in accordance with article 20 may be re-identified in accordance with article 5.