Cattle
From initial registering your herd through to the final product packaging and labelling.
Updated 17 June 2024
Registering your herd
On and off movements
Whenever you buy, sell, lend or borrow any cattle you have to tell ScotEID which cows have gone where. The sooner the better, and always within 3 days.
Remember, no cow can leave your holding without its passport.
Getting a passport for a calf
When a new calf is born, you must apply for a passport within 27 days. The penalty for not doing this can be severe: the animal will not be able to leave the farm and will not be able to go into the human food chain. You may also lose part or all of your farm subsidy.
Tagging a new calf
A new beef calf must have tags in both ears by the time it’s 20 days old. A dairy calf must have its first tag fitted within 36 hours and the second one within twenty days. All calves must have two tags fitted before they leave the farm if that’s within 20 days of birth.
Replacing a missing tag
If an animal loses one of its tags it must be replaced within 28 days.
Keeping a register
You are required by law to keep a register of your cattle. This must include as a minimum for each animal:
- ear tag number
- date of birth
- sex
- breed
- identity of genetic dam
- date of death of animal on the holding
- date of movements on and off your holding
- details of where the animals had moved to or from
Registers must be updated within the following deadlines:
- 48 hours in the case of movements “on” or “off” a holding
- 7 days for the birth of a dairy animal
- 30 days for the birth of cattle not in a dairy herd
- 7 days for a death
- 36 hours for replacement ear tags
Penalties for not keeping accurate records can be severe. This is a statutory management requirement (SMR 7). The Department carries out cattle inspections and can impose significant financial penalties if you are in breach.
Even if you are not in receipt of farm subsidy, as a keeper of livestock you must comply with the requirements for record-keeping.
See Livestock identification and traceability: guidance for more information.