Guide
Report livestock movements and comply with standstill rules
How to report cattle, sheep, goat, pig, and deer movements using government traceability systems. Includes reporting deadlines, standstill periods, and required documentation for disease control compliance.
When you move livestock on or off your holding, you must report these movements to government traceability systems. This is a legal requirement that helps prevent and control disease outbreaks by tracking where animals have been.
Different species use different reporting systems and have different deadlines. Most movements also trigger 'standstill' periods during which you cannot move other animals off your holding.
Failure to report movements correctly can result in penalties, cross-compliance payment reductions, and restrictions on your holding during disease outbreaks.
Why movement reporting matters
Livestock movement reporting serves several critical purposes:
- Disease control: Enables rapid tracing of animals during outbreaks of diseases like foot and mouth, avian flu, and tuberculosis
- Food safety: Creates a farm-to-fork audit trail for meat and dairy products
- Trade requirements: Demonstrates traceability for UK and international customers
- Compensation claims: Provides evidence for claims if your animals are affected by disease controls
- Regulatory compliance: Required for cross-compliance and assurance scheme membership
The keeper moving animals off a holding is legally responsible for reporting, even if markets, hauliers, or buyers report on your behalf.
Cattle movement reporting
All cattle movements must be reported through the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) in England and Wales. Cattle have individual passports, and every movement must be recorded within strict deadlines.
How to report cattle movements
Choose the method that works best for your farm operation:
Markets and slaughterhouses typically report movements automatically through their systems, but you remain legally responsible. Always check your holding register to confirm movements have been recorded correctly.
Sheep and goat movement reporting
Sheep and goat movements are reported through the Livestock Information Service (LIS). Unlike cattle, you report off-movements at any time and on-movements within 3 days of animals arriving. Both keepers (sender and receiver) must report their own movements.
How to report sheep and goat movements
Movement documents for sheep and goats
Most sheep and goat movements require physical movement documents to accompany animals during transport. However, there's an important exception if you report online:
Even if you report online and don't need paper documents, you must still maintain your on-farm holding register and record all movements within 36 hours.
Pig movement reporting
Pig movements use a unique two-stage system requiring pre-notification before animals move and confirmation within 24 hours of departure. All reporting is through the eAML2 (electronic Animal Movement Licensing) system.
Pre-notification requirements
Before pigs can leave your holding, you must register the intended movement on eAML2. This creates a movement licence that authorises the transport:
Confirming the movement
Once pigs have departed, you must confirm the movement has taken place:
Pig movement documents
The eAML2 system generates a movement document when you pre-notify a movement. The haulier must carry this document with the pigs during transport.
Deer movement reporting
Deer movements are reported through the Livestock Information Service (LIS), the same system used for sheep and goats. Deer have one important difference: they are exempt from standstill rules.
You must also comply with the conditions of the deer movement general licence, which covers welfare requirements during transport and may impose seasonal restrictions during the deer breeding season.
Standstill periods explained
When livestock arrive on your holding, a 'standstill' begins. During standstill, you cannot move other susceptible animals off the holding (with some exemptions). This prevents rapid disease spread between multiple holdings.
Standstill applies to the entire holding, not just the animals that moved. If sheep arrive, you cannot move cattle either during the standstill period.
When standstill does NOT apply
Several important exemptions allow animal movements during what would otherwise be a standstill period:
If you regularly use standstill exemptions (such as approved isolation facilities), maintain detailed records to demonstrate compliance if questioned by inspectors.
Record keeping requirements
In addition to reporting movements online, you must maintain a physical or electronic holding register on your farm. This register must record:
- All movements on and off the holding within 36 hours
- Births, deaths, and animals used for home consumption
- Individual animal identification numbers (cattle passports, sheep/goat EID tags)
- Dates of movements and CPH numbers of origin/destination
- The number of animals moved (or individual IDs for cattle)
You must keep holding registers for at least 3 years. They can be inspected by Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) officers, local authority trading standards, or during assurance scheme audits.
Quick reference: reporting deadlines
Miss a deadline and you risk penalties, cross-compliance issues, and restrictions during disease outbreaks. Here's a summary of all reporting deadlines:
Remember: these are the deadlines for reporting to government systems. Your on-farm holding register must be updated within 36 hours for all species.
Contact details and support
If you need help reporting movements or have questions about your legal obligations, contact the relevant traceability service for your species and location:
For urgent disease control issues or suspected notifiable disease outbreaks, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) immediately on 0300 303 8268 (available 24/7).
What happens if you don't report correctly
Failing to report movements or comply with standstill rules can result in:
- Cross-compliance penalties: Reduction in Basic Payment Scheme or other rural payments
- Trading Standards prosecution: Fines for breaching traceability regulations
- Movement restrictions: Your holding may be placed under restriction, preventing all movements
- Assurance scheme non-compliance: Suspension from Red Tractor, Quality Meat Scotland, or other schemes
- Disease outbreak complications: Inability to demonstrate your animals are disease-free, leading to prolonged restrictions
- Compensation issues: Claims may be rejected if records are incomplete
If you've missed a reporting deadline, report the movement as soon as possible and contact the relevant service to explain. Late reporting is better than no reporting.