Agriculture & Farming UK-wide

Identify and tag sheep and goats

How to identify and tag sheep and goats correctly. Covers double EID tagging for breeding stock, batch tagging for animals going direct to slaughter under 12 months, tagging deadlines, and replacement rules for lost or damaged tags.

Guide summary

You must tag every sheep and goat before it leaves your holding or reaches the age deadline. Breeding animals need two tags, one electronic (EID). Lambs and kids going direct to slaughter under 12 months can use a single batch tag. Tag indoor-reared animals within 6 months of birth, outdoor-reared within 9 months.

  • Get a flock or herd mark from APHA before ordering tags
  • Tag breeding sheep with 2 tags – one must be electronic (EID)
  • Tag slaughter lambs under 12 months with 1 yellow EID batch tag
  • Tag goats with 2 tags – EID voluntary unless exporting
  • Tag indoor-reared animals within 6 months of birth
  • Tag outdoor-reared animals within 9 months of birth
  • Tag before moving off holding – whichever comes first
  • Use batch tags only for animals going direct to slaughter
  • Replace lost or damaged tags as soon as you spot them
  • Contact APHA on 03000 200 301 for registration help
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You must identify every sheep and goat you keep with approved ear tags before the animal reaches the tagging deadline or leaves your holding, whichever comes first. The rules vary depending on whether the animal is breeding stock (kept beyond 12 months) or going directly to slaughter as a lamb or kid.

This guide covers the tagging rules that apply to all sheep and goat keepers in England. Keepers in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland follow similar rules but use different movement reporting systems (see the devolved variations at the end of this guide).

1. Register your flock or herd mark first

Before you can order tags, you need a flock mark (for sheep) or herd mark (for goats). This is a unique identifier allocated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) that appears on every tag, linking the animal back to the holding where it was born or first tagged.

You must also have a County Parish Holding (CPH) number for the land. If you do not yet have one, see Register land to keep livestock: get a CPH number before continuing.

2. Tag breeding sheep with double EID

Sheep kept beyond 12 months—including all breeding ewes, rams and replacement stock—must carry two identifiers, one of which must be an electronic identifier (EID). Both tags must show the same individual number and your flock mark.

3. Tag goats with approved EID tags

Goats follow the same double-tagging principle as sheep, with one electronic and one conventional identifier. Rules for goat kids going to slaughter and breeding goats kept beyond 12 months differ slightly from sheep—check the deadlines carefully.

4. Use a single batch tag for slaughter lambs and kids

If you are sending lambs or kids directly to slaughter before they are 12 months old, you can use a single electronic batch tag (often called a "slaughter tag") rather than the full double EID. The printed face of a batch tag shows only "UK" and your flock or herd mark, but the electronic chip inside contains an individual number.

Batch tagging is only allowed if the animal moves direct from its birth holding to an abattoir, or via an approved red-market collection centre that does not break the direct-to-slaughter chain.

5. Replace lost or damaged tags

If an animal loses a tag, or a tag becomes unreadable, you must replace it as soon as the loss is discovered and before the animal next moves off your holding. Replacement tags use a red colour coding so inspectors can see the tag is a replacement rather than the original birth tag.

Replacement rules differ depending on whether you bred the animal or bought it in—the snippet below sets out both cases.

6. Keep evidence of tagging

Record every tagging event in your holding register, including the date tagged, the tag number range used, and the tag supplier. Keep tag invoices and delivery notes for at least three years. APHA inspectors will cross-check your register against actual tags on animals during routine inspections.

For the full record-keeping rules, see Keep a livestock holding register.

  1. 1

    Register your flock or herd mark with APHA

    Apply before ordering tags. Allow 5-10 working days for allocation.

  2. 2

    Order approved EID tags from a DEFRA-listed supplier

    Tags must carry your flock/herd mark and meet UK technical standards.

  3. 3

    Tag breeding stock before the deadline or first movement

    Double EID for any animal kept beyond 12 months.

  4. 4

    Use batch tags only for direct-to-slaughter animals under 12 months

    Single electronic batch tag permitted if moving direct from birth holding to abattoir.

  5. 5

    Replace lost tags before the next movement

    Use red replacement tags and record the replacement in your holding register.

  6. 6

    Record every tagging event in your holding register

    Keep invoices and delivery notes for three years minimum.

Penalty risk
Penalty:
Moving an untagged or incorrectly tagged sheep or goat off your holding is an offence under the Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) (England) Order 2009. Penalties include unlimited fines on summary conviction and seizure of animals, and breaches can lead to payment recovery or termination under the terms of farm payment scheme agreements. Repeat offences can lead to prosecution and movement restrictions on the holding.
GOV.UK - sheep and goat identification (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance on GOV.UK