Identification and movement of pigs
Pig keeping requires careful record keeping; the movement of pigs is also tightly controlled
Although the United Kingdom left the European Union (EU) in 2021, certain pieces of legislation (known as 'assimilated law') continue to apply until such time as they are replaced by new UK legislation, revoked or permitted to expire. This means that our guidance still contains references to legislation that originated from the EU.
This guidance is for Wales
Any person keeping pigs, including as pets, must comply with current movement reporting, recording and identification requirements.
NEW KEEPERS
Whether you want to keep a pet pig or a commercial herd of pigs you will first need to obtain a county parish holding (CPH) number, which identifies the land where the pigs will be kept.
To apply for a CPH number you need to contact your local Welsh Government Rural Payments Office on 0300 062 5004.
An occupier of a holding who begins to keep pigs on that holding, and any person who takes over the occupation of a holding where pigs are kept, must notify the Animal Health and Plant Agency (APHA) of their name and address, and the address of the holding. This must be done within one month. APHA should be contacted on 0300 303 8268 or customerregistration@apha.gov.uk. They will provide you with your herd number at this stage.
You must also notify APHA, within one month, if you stop keeping pigs or if there are any changes to the details initially provided.
REPORTING PIG MOVEMENTS
The keeper at the departing farm must pre-notify AHDB Pork before any pigs are moved off. On the arrival of pigs at the farm of destination the keeper must notify AHDB Pork of their arrival within three days.
If the pigs are moved to an abattoir or market they will confirm the move and receipt of the pigs.
There are occasions where you may not need to pre-notify a movement (such as taking pigs to a market). However, this applies only in specific circumstances so you need to check with the market / AHDB Pork bureau service before you move any of your animals.
Pig movements can be reported either online using the free eAML2 system, or via the telephone / in writing using a bureau service provided by AHDB Pork (see the AHDB Pork Pig Hub).
ELECTRONIC EAML2 LICENCES
The eAML2 is the electronic version of a pig movement licence (AML2). It combines the AML2 and food chain information (FCI) paper forms that are required when moving pigs to slaughter.
The system allows you to report all moves undertaken online or via the bureau system.
You can register online free at the eAML2 website or by ringing the helpline on 0844 335 8400.
Further advice on the eAML2 system can be found on the eAML2 website and from reading the Welsh Government's Pig Keeper Guidance.
TRANSPORT: DOCUMENTATION AND WELFARE
By pre-notifying the movement online, a haulier summary can be printed and carried with you, or by the haulier transporting your pigs during the journey, as required by law. If you pre-notify the move via the bureau service they will send you a haulier summary in the post. The movement cannot take place until this document is received, so consider this when planning your moves.
Please also see 'Transporting livestock by road: paperwork' for further documentation requirements.
For information on the welfare of pigs when they are being transported, see 'Welfare of animals during transport'.
MOVEMENT OF PIGS TO SLAUGHTER
The eAML2 electronic pig licence combines the AML2 and food chain information (FCI) paper forms that are required when moving pigs to slaughter.
If you pre-notify the move via the bureau service, the movement will still combine the AML2 and FCI.
MOVEMENT RECORD
The keeper of a pig must make and maintain a record, known as a holding register, that documents the following information each time a pig is moved on to or off a holding:
- date of movement
- identification mark (including individual number, if applicable), slapmark or temporary mark (if applicable)
- number of pigs moved
- the holding the pigs have been moved from
- the holding to which the pigs are moved
Details of movements must be recorded within 36 hours of them taking place and the record must be retained for three years.
A yearly count of pigs must take place. The maximum number normally on the holding must be recorded together with the actual amount.
The keeper can choose in which format to keep a holding register, as long as it contains the required information and a copy can be provided when requested. Options include:
- a paper record
- a spreadsheet
- using the holding register function in farm-management software
- the eAML2 system
A template movement record is attached.
IDENTIFICATION OF PIGS
No person may move a pig off a holding unless it has either:
- an ear tag, with the letters 'UK' followed by the herd mark of the holding from which it is being moved
or
- a tattoo, showing the herd mark (with or without the letters 'UK'). A tattoo must be applied either by tattoo forceps on an ear or by a slap marker on each shoulder
Pigs less than one year old may instead have a temporary mark, which is recorded on the accompanying movement document and identifies the holding of departure. Temporary marks must last until the pigs reach their destination. Temporary marks are not permitted for movements to a market, slaughterhouse, a show or for use in export.
Management information may be added to the ear tag or tattoo, provided it is distinguishable from the official mark.
Ear tags must be:
- easy to read during the pig's lifetime
- made of metal or plastic or a combination of both
- tamper resistant
- incapable of re-use
- heat resistant
- designed to remain attached to the pig without harming it
MOVEMENTS TO EXHIBITIONS, SHOWS AND FOR BREEDING
A pig being moved to an exhibition, show, or for breeding purposes with the intention of returning the pig to the holding from which it was moved, must be identified with either:
- an ear tag consisting of the letters 'UK' followed by the Welsh Government-allocated herd mark and a unique individual identification number
or
- a tattoo consisting of the Welsh Government-allocated herd mark followed by a unique individual identification number
If the destination premises is known, movements both to and from the show ground must be notified to BPEX before initiating the journey. If the destination premises after the show is unknown, the movement must be reported to the bureau service within three days.
Full identification for the pig moved must be recorded as part of the animal movement record.
MOVEMENTS TO MARKET
A pig may be moved from a market if it is marked with the herd mark of the holding from which it arrived. If it does not have this mark, it may only be returned home.
IMPORT AND EXPORT
There are extra requirements when pigs are coming into or leaving the country. See 'Importing animals' and 'Exporting animals' for more information.
FEEDING PIGS
Swill or catering waste (waste from catering and domestic waste) must not be fed to any pig.
Catering waste is defined in assimilated Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 as "all waste food, including used cooking oil originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens and household kitchens". Pigs, therefore, cannot be fed any kind of kitchen or restaurant waste, including meat, vegetable peelings, old sandwiches or animal by-products.
More information on controls related to animal feed can be found on the GOV.UK website.
'STANDSTILL' RULES
Under the Disease Control (Wales) Order 2003, a person wishing to move a pig should be in possession of, and must comply with, the conditions of the 'general licence' for the movement of pigs. A copy of the general licence can be obtained from the Welsh Government website.
No pigs may be moved off a premises within 20 complete days of any pigs being moved on to those premises, or any other premises in the same sole-occupancy group or temporary land association (TLAs). This that means pigs are free to move from the premises on the 21st day after they arrive.
Any sheep, goats or cattle on a holding to which pigs are moved cannot move off (with limited exceptions) until six complete days have elapsed - in other words, sheep, goats and cattle are free to move again on the seventh day. The same rule applies for any premises in the same sole-occupancy group or temporary land association.
Pigs must not be moved off a holding if any sheep, goats or cattle have moved on to the same premises within the previous six days or off any other premises in the same sole-occupancy group or temporary land association.
EXEMPTIONS FROM THE 'STANDSTILL' PERIOD
Movements permitted during the 'standstill' period include:
- direct to an abattoir, or to slaughter via a dedicated slaughter market or slaughter collection centre
- for veterinary treatment
- to an artificial insemination centre
- export (or to an approved export collection centre or assembly centre prior to departure)
- movements within a sole occupancy group or temporary land association
- to shows from an approved isolation facility. The pig must be placed in the isolation facility for 20 days prior to the movement, unless it is placed in there between shows. Following the show the pig must be put back in the approved isolation facility
- movements within a Welsh Government-approved pyramid
- movements of an animal that is on a vehicle which enters a premises to drop off other animals, provided it does not leave the means of transport whilst on that premises
Pig movements that do not trigger a standstill period include:
- pigs moved within a Welsh Government-approved pyramid, and pigs being moved on from a Welsh Government-approved source
- pigs returned from an artificial insemination centre
- movements within a sole occupancy group or temporary land association
- return from veterinary treatment so long as the pig is isolated from other animals for 20 days after its return
- movement of an animal on to a premises in a vehicle to collect other animals, provided that the animal is not unloaded
- pigs moving to a show are exempt from the standstill on the premises of origin, provided that they are individually identified and have been kept in a Welsh Government-approved isolation facility for 20 complete days before departure. They will not trigger a standstill on return, provided that they are kept in Welsh Government-approved isolation facilities for 20 days
- movements for the purpose of breeding that comply with conditions set out below.
When movements are for breeding purposes, pigs (mainly specialist or pedigree breeding stock) that are not within a pyramid may move to a farm for breeding and will not trigger a standstill either there or when they return home, provided that:
- they are individually identified
- there is no standstill period on the holding of departure, or the pig intended for breeding has been placed into a Welsh Government-approved isolation facility for 20 days before departure
- on arrival the pig from the departing farm is placed into a Welsh Government-approved isolation facility at the destination premises
- any pig placed in the isolation facility with the pig brought on to the premises for breeding purposes has been on the breeding premises for at least 20 days before being placed in that facility
- the pig intended for breeding from the breeding facility remains in a Welsh Government-approved isolation facility for 20 days after being brought on to the premises, or for 20 days after it has been placed in isolation, whichever comes later
- the person to whom the pig is sent signs a declaration stating that the pig is for breeding and makes the declaration either online using the eAML2 system or via the telephone / in writing using a bureau service provided by AHDB Pork
- on return of the pig to the departure premises, the occupier at those premises also signs a declaration stating that the pig was for breeding, making the declaration either online using eAML2 system or via the telephone / in writing using a bureau service provided by AHDB Pork. The returning pig must be isolated for 20 days in a Welsh Government-approved isolation facility on return
Where pigs are moved to holdings that are within a ten-mile radius of the main point of business and share the same holding number, there are no movement reporting or recording requirements and therefore no standstill requirements.
PET PIGS
All pigs are farmed animals in the eyes of the law, so even if they are being kept as pets the requirements are the same as if they were part of a farmed herd. There are also extra requirements for pet pig owners, such as a walking licence if you want to walk the animal off your premises. For more information see 'Keeping pet pigs'.
FURTHER INFORMATION
The Welsh Government has produced Pig Keeper Guidance and a Code of Recommendations for the Welfare of Livestock: Pigs.
TRADING STANDARDS
For more information on the work of Trading Standards services - and the possible consequences of not abiding by the law - please see 'Trading Standards: powers, enforcement and penalties'.
IN THIS UPDATE
Clarified the requirements on keeping a holding register.
Last reviewed / updated: February 2024
Key legislation
Please note
This information is intended for guidance; only the courts can give an authoritative interpretation of the law.
The guide's 'Key legislation' links may only show the original version of the legislation, although some amending legislation is linked to separately where it is directly related to the content of a guide. Information on changes to legislation can be found on each link's 'More Resources' tab.
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