Sheep & Goat keepers reminded to get their Annual Inventories in by 1 February

Contact the Welsh Government Animal ID helpline on 01267 245022 for more guidance
Contact the Welsh Government Animal ID helpline on 01267 245022 for more guidance

NFU Cymru’s Livestock Board Chairman, Wyn Evans, used today’s Welsh Council meeting to remind sheep farmers that the 2016 Annual Sheep and Goat Inventory form must be completed and returned in the pre-paid envelope, or to their local Welsh Government office, by 1 February 2016 to avoid potential penalties.

The form is a legal requirement and must be returned by the date specified above to avoid an increased risk of being selected for an inspection. The form should include the number of sheep and goats you owned on 1 January 2016 and you must also record the number of sheep and goats on 1 January in your on-farm ‘Flock Record’.

Mr Evans also took the opportunity to remind sheep keepers that from 1 January 2016, the non-electronic slaughter tag is no longer allowed as the single tagging option to identify lambs intended for slaughter.

Mr Evans said, “This is important to remember, not least when re-ordering supplies of tags, as the non-electronic slaughter tags cannot be used to identify lambs from January onwards. Lambs identified with a non EID slaughter tag prior to 1 January 2016 can continue to move with this tag until they are deemed to be 12 months of age.

“A further change we need to be aware of is in respect to reporting movements to EID Cymru. This is the new sheep traceability database for Wales which was introduced on 18 January and requires the compulsory electronic reporting of sheep movements by livestock markets, abattoirs and collection centres.

“Whilst sheep keepers are now being encouraged to report moves electronically, there is still the paper-based license system to report movements via the new EID Cymru office for those who wish. New Animal Movement License forms (AML1) are now in circulation and licenses need to be returned to EID Cymru, instead of your local authority, within three days of the animals arriving on your holding,” added Mr Evans.