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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of this Order)

This Order revokes and remakes with amendments The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) Order (Northern Ireland) 2005 (S.R. 2005 No.535 as amended) 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).

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). It also identifies the type of authorisations issued by the Department.

Part II of the Order provides that the Department must approve identification devices and sets out some general provisions in relation to the application of identification devices.

Part III of the Order requires the application of two means of identification, including one electronic device, to an animal identified or imported on or after 31st December 2009.

Part IV of the Order makes provisions for the identification of goats not identified under Part III.

Part V of the Order makes provisions for the removal or replacement of identification marks on animals identified under Part III.

Part VI 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. The Department has adopted the Derogation under Article 5(4) of the Council Regulation for the holding register to be optional if certain conditions are met (Article 18). An annual inventory of animals must be conducted and the findings communicated to the Department (Article 19).

Part VII 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 (Article 20). Article 21 imposes certain obligations on market operators. The Department has adopted the derogation under Article 6 of the Regulation which may authorise any person to notify the movement of an animal by electronic means (Article 22).

Part VIII of the Order makes provisions for markets (Article 23), slaughterhouses (Article 24), central points of recording (Article 25) and contingency planning for power and equipment failures (Article 26).

Part IX makes provision for the identification of animals brought into Northern Ireland from other member States (Article 27), other parts of the United Kingdom and Crown Dependencies (Article 28), and from third countries (Article 29 and 30).

Part X of the Order contains miscellaneous provisions including the requirements relating to animals which are to be exported (Article 31). Article 34 enables inspectors to prohibit the movement of a flock of sheep or a herd of goats to or from a holding. Articles 35 and 36 relate to the provision of false or misleading information and the alteration of identification marks. Article 37 relates to the export of an animal to Britain or the Republic of Ireland, Article 38 relates to animals moving to and from common grazing, Article 39 relates to the movement of animals from dipping or shearing to the holding of origin and Article 40 contains transitional and saving provisions.