Trading Standards officers play an important role in the health and welfare of farm animals and livestock, protecting and improving livestock and controlling and eradicating disease.

We achieve this by:

  • Monitoring animal movements by licence
  • Checking movement and associated records on farms
  • Monitoring welfare standards of animals kept on farms, or are in transit or exposed for sale in livestock markets.

In the aftermath of the foot and mouth outbreak a rigorous regime of licensing which controls the movement of a range of farm animals has been introduced. The most common animals whose movements have to be licensed are sheep, pigs, cattle and goats.

Movement documents and application forms can be obtained from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs website www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/welfare/index.htm

There is more information on animal health and welfare in our business information sheet section.

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