Becoming a livestock keeper: complete compliance guide
- 3 steps
UK Statutory Instrument
2007
England
Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007
At a glance
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 33
- Trader 4
- Occupier 3
- Operator 2
- Employer 1
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
What regulations apply to my farm?
- 5 steps
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
2 guidesSupporting — topic alignment
3 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 169 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 144 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 101 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 95 duties
Traders also bound by 826 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 1995 413 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 243 duties
- The Large and Medium-sized Companies and Groups (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 2008 114 duties
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 62 duties
- Building Societies Act 1986 1986 56 duties
Occupiers also bound by 259 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 2021 39 duties
- Avian Influenza and Influenza of Avian Origin in Mammals (England) (No. 2) Order 2006 2006 34 duties
- The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 1995 34 duties
- Highways Act 1980 1980 23 duties
- Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015 2015 18 duties
Operators also bound by 730 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations) 2012 138 duties
- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2018/2066 of 19 December 2018 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 (Text with EEA relevance) 2018 121 duties
- Commission Regulation (EU) No 601/2012 of 21 June 2012 on the monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (Text with EEA relevance) (repealed) 2012 112 duties
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 75 duties
- Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’) (Text with EEA relevance) 2016 66 duties
Employers also bound by 694 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- The Income Tax (Pay As You Earn) Regulations 2003 2003 236 duties
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 1998 120 duties
- TULRCA 1992 1992 72 duties
- Employment Rights (Northern Ireland) Order 1996 (current NI employment law) 1996 52 duties
- Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003 2003 50 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Schedules
Additional conditions that apply to the keeping of laying hens in conventional cages
Unlimited fine- Immediately cease keeping laying hens in conventional cages Any Person
Additional conditions that apply to the keeping of laying hens in enriched cages
Unlimited fine- Ensure enriched cages for laying hens meet minimum welfare standards Any Person
Additional conditions that apply to the keeping of cattle
- Provide proper housing and separation for calving and dairy cows Any Person
Additional conditions that apply to the keeping of rabbits
- Ensure rabbit hutches and cages meet minimum size and shelter standards Any Person
Buildings and accommodation
- Use safe, cleanable materials for animal housing Trader
Animals kept in buildings must not be kept in permanent...
- Provide lighting to avoid permanent darkness for housed animals Trader
Animals kept in buildings must not be kept without an...
- Give animals kept indoors a daily period of rest from artificial lighting Trader
Animals must not be provided with food or liquid that...
- Do not feed animals substances that cause suffering or injury Any Person
Breeding procedures
- Do not use breeding procedures that cause suffering or injury Any Person
Electrical immobilisation
- Do not use electrical current to immobilise animals Any Person
Without prejudice to paragraph 11(3) of Schedule 5A Any animals...
- Care for ill or injured animals promptly and seek veterinary advice if needed Any Person
Freedom of movement
- Do not restrict animal movement causing unnecessary suffering Occupier
All non-cage systems of production for keeping laying hens must...
- Comply with welfare requirements for non-cage laying hen systems Any Person
All systems must be equipped in such a way that...
- Provide specified equipment for laying hens (feeders, drinkers, nests, perches, litter) Any Person
If systems are used where the laying hens can move...
- Limit multi-level hen systems to four levels with proper spacing and droppings prevention Any Person
Subject to paragraph (9), the stocking density must not exceed...
- Do not exceed nine laying hens per m² of usable area Any Person
All conventional (unenriched) cage systems must comply with the requirements...
- Ensure conventional cage systems meet Schedule 3 requirements Operator
Cages must be at least 40 cm high over at...
- Ensure cages meet minimum height and area requirements for birds Any Person
(1) Floors of cages must be constructed so as to...
- Ensure cage floors support birds' claws and meet slope limits Any Person
A feed trough which can be used without restriction must...
- Provide a feed trough of adequate length for laying hens in cages Any Person
Each cage must have a drinking system appropriate to the...
- Fit every hen cage with a suitable drinking system Occupier
Additional conditions that apply in relation to conventionally reared meat chickens
- Ensure welfare standards for conventionally reared meat chickens Any Person
Inspection
- Inspect chickens at least twice daily and treat or cull sick birds Any Person
Food chain information and chickens dead on arrival
- Record chickens dead on arrival for high-density flocks Operator
Stocking density limits
- Keep stocking density within 33 kg/m² (or up to 39 kg/m² if conditions met) Any Person
Notification of stocking density
- Notify the Secretary of State of high chicken stocking densities Any Person
Drink and feed
- Position drinkers to minimise spillage Any Person
Muzzling
- Do not muzzle calves Any Person
Artificially lit buildings
- Provide artificial lighting for calves in artificially lit buildings Trader
Bedding
- Ensure bedding for pigs is clean, dry and not harmful Any Person
Drinking water
- Provide continuous access to fresh drinking water for pigs Any Person
Environmental enrichment
- Provide permanent access to manipulable enrichment material for pigs Any Person
Prohibition on the use of the sweat-box system
- Do not keep pigs in sweat-box system (high temp/humidity) Any Person
Noise levels
- Do not expose pigs to constant or sudden noise Any Person
Boar pens must be sited and constructed so as to...
- Ensure boar pens allow turning and sensory contact with other pigs and have clean resting areas Any Person
Group housing
- Keep sows and gilts in groups except around farrowing Any Person
A part of the floor area where the piglets are...
- Provide solid resting area for piglets Any Person
Subject to paragraph 38, piglets must not be weaned from...
- Do not wean piglets before 28 days of age Employer
As soon as possible after weaning, weaners and rearing pigs...
- Keep weaner and rearing pigs in stable groups after weaning Occupier
(1) Where tethers are used in accordance with paragraph 3,...
- Ensure tethers are safe and properly maintained for pigs Any Person
If weaners and rearing pigs unfamiliar with one another have...
- Mix unfamiliar pigs at the right age and provide hiding places Any Person
Browse 101 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
Staffing
Where animals are continuously or regularly tethered or confined, they...
Accommodation and fittings for securing animals must be constructed and...
Air circulation, dust levels, temperature, relative air humidity and gas...
Where the natural light available in a building is insufficient...
Animals not kept in buildings
Automatic or mechanical equipment
Where defects in automated or mechanical equipment of the type...
Inspection
Where the health and well-being of the animals is dependent...
The back-up system referred to in paragraph 20(a) must be...
Feed, water and other substances
All animals must have access to feed at intervals appropriate...
All animals must either have access to a suitable water...
Feeding and watering equipment must be designed, constructed, placed and...
(1) —No other substance, with the exception of those given...
Animals may only be kept for farming purposes if it...
Where animals are kept in a building, adequate lighting (whether...
Where any animals (other than poultry) are kept in a...
Where necessary, sick or injured animals must be isolated in...
Record keeping
The record referred to in paragraph 7 must be retained...
Where a system is equipped with nipple drinkers or cups,...
Where a system has drinking points plumbed in, at least...
The floors of installations must be constructed so as to...
If laying hens have access to open runs —
Where on 3rd August 1999 the establishment applied a system...
Cage systems must have at least 550 cm² per hen...
A feed trough must be provided which may be used...
(1) Unless nipple drinkers or drinking cups are provided, each...
Cages must be fitted with suitable claw-shortening devices.
No person may build or bring into service for the...
On and after 1st January 2012, no person may keep...
All laying hens not kept in a cage system referred...
Laying hens must have— (a) at least 750 cm² of...
To facilitate inspection, installation and depopulation of hens there must...
Cages must be fitted with suitable claw-shortening devices.
All hens must be inspected by the owner or other...
In all systems in which laying hens are kept—
(1) All buildings must have light levels sufficient to allow...
(1) Those parts of buildings, equipment or utensils which are...
Cages must be suitably equipped to prevent hens escaping.
Accommodation comprising two or more tiers of cages must have...
The design and dimensions of the cage door must be...
Interpretation
Light
Cleaning
Record keeping
Identification of poor welfare conditions and follow-up
Training
Requirements for higher stocking densities
Litter
Ventilation and heating
Noise
Accommodation
Additional dietary requirements
Feeding
Drinking water
Inspection
Calves which are kept outside must be inspected by the...
Tethering
Cleaning and disinfection
Floors
Bedding and lying area
Bovine colostrum
Where lactating dairy cows or calving cows are kept in...
A pen or yard in a building used for calving...
Calving cows which are kept in a building must be...
In this Schedule— “boar” means a male pig after puberty,...
Floors
(1) Where concrete slatted floors are used for pigs kept...
Feeding
Noise levels above 85 dBA must be avoided in that...
Inspection
The lying area must be dry and comfortable.
(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), the minimum unobstructed floor area...
Pregnant sows and gilts must, where necessary, be treated against...
Farrowing
In the week before the expected farrowing time, sows and...
During farrowing, an unobstructed area behind the sow or gilt...
Farrowing pens where sows or gilts are kept loose must...
The pen where the group is kept must have sides...
The unobstructed floor area available to each gilt after service...
Tethering
For gilts after service and pregnant sows, a part of...
Sows and gilts kept on holdings of 10 or fewer...
In addition to the requirements of paragraph 13 of this...
All dry pregnant sows and gilts must be given a...
Where a farrowing crate system is used, piglets must be...
Where a farrowing crate system is used, the piglets must...
Piglets may be weaned up to seven days earlier than...
The use of tranquilising medication in order to facilitate mixing...
If there are signs of severe fighting, the causes must...
The unobstructed floor area available to each weaner or rearing...
Accommodation
(1) The dimensions of any stall or pen used for...
Artificially lit buildings
Prevention of fighting
Cleaning and disinfection
Hutches or cages in which rabbits are kept must be—...
Where rabbits are kept in accommodation which is exposed to...
Additional duties on persons responsible for poultry, laying hens, calves, cattle, pigs or rabbits
- Ensure specific welfare standards for farmed poultry, livestock, and rabbits Any Person
Codes of Practice
- Ensure staff are trained on and have access to animal welfare codes Any Person
Browse 8 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
Citation, commencement and application
Definitions and interpretation
Animals to which these Regulations apply
Duties on persons responsible for farmed animals
Offences
Prosecutions
Penalties
Monitoring and follow-up at the slaughterhouse
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Sheep welfare code (opens in a new tab) from DEFRA Publication
- Soil Association organic poultry standards (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- DAERA poultry welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Welsh Government animal welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Scottish Government farm animal welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Code of practice for meat chickens (opens in a new tab) from DEFRA Publication
- Register as a keeper of 50 or more poultry (opens in a new tab) from APHA Publication
- DAERA - Farm Animal Welfare (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Keeping a pet pig or micropig (opens in a new tab) from DEFRA Detailed Guidance
- NFU - Regulatory Burdens (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- ... and 10 more
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
APHA
PrimaryAnimal and Plant Health Agency
Safeguards animal and plant health for the benefit of people, environment and economy. Issues export health certificates, manages disease outbreaks, operates veterinary …
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. Sets environmental policy and works with agencies …
Explore more
Browse legislation
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.