6.—(1) A mark applied under this Order (save for a temporary mark) shall be applied to the animal’s ear by way of an eartag or tattoo.
(2) An eartag shall be—
(a)made of either metal or plastic or a combination of metal and plastic;
(b)tamper-proof;
(c)printed or stamped with the required letters and numbers so that they are easy to read during the animal’s lifetime;
(d)such that it does not interfere with the well-being of the animal; and
(e)red in colour when it bears an R Mark but not in any other case.
(3) A tattoo means a tattoo which is legible for the life of the animal.
(4) An F Mark is—
(a)when marked on an eartag, the letters “UK” followed by the flockmark or herdmark of the holding to which the animal is imported from outside the European Union, followed by the letter “F”;
(b)when marked on a tattoo, the flockmark or herdmark of that holding followed by the letter “F”.
(5) An Origin Mark is—
(a)when marked on an eartag, the letters “UK” followed by the flockmark or herdmark of the animal’s holding of birth;
(b)when marked on a tattoo, the flockmark or herdmark of the animal’s holding of birth.
(6) An R Mark is—
(a)when marked on an eartag, the letters “UK” followed by the flockmark or herdmark of the holding where the animal was kept at the time it was so marked, followed by the letter “R”;
(b)when marked on a tattoo, the flockmark or herdmark of the holding where the animal was kept at the time it was so marked, followed by the letter “R”.
(7) An S Mark is the letter “S” followed by the flockmark or herdmark of the holding on which the animal was kept at the time it was so marked.
(8) An X Mark is the letters “UK” followed by the flockmark or herdmark of the holding from which the animal is to be moved to a destination outside Great Britain, followed by the letter “X”.
(9) An “individual identification number” is a number which—
(a)does not apply to any other sheep with the same flockmark or to any other goat with the same herdmark;
(b)is applied to an eartag at the same time as an Origin Mark, S Mark, F Mark, R Mark or X Mark is applied, or is tattooed on one of the animal’s ears at the same time that an Origin Mark, S Mark, F Mark, R Mark or X Mark is tattooed on one of its ears; and
(c)in the case of an eartag and subject to paragraph (10), immediately follows an Origin Mark, S Mark, F Mark, R Mark or X Mark or is applied to one side of the eartag on the other side of which is an Origin Mark, S Mark, F Mark, R Mark or X Mark.
(10) A number shall not fail to be an “individual identification number” by reason only that it is not applied to the same eartag as the Origin Mark, S Mark, F Mark, R Mark or X Mark where—
(a)the number was applied in part of the British Islands outside Wales under the legislation in force in that part; or
(b)the number was applied in Wales before 11th February 2002.
(11) A temporary mark shall be sufficiently distinctive to be described in the document required under article 12 and shall remain visible to the naked eye until the animal is slaughtered or returns to the holding from which it had been sent to market for the purpose of sale for slaughter or returns to the holding from temporary grazing land.