Animal health: movement restrictions

Movement restrictions

The current animal movement restrictions under the Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Order 2002 were introduced on 18 February 2002. This legislation, which can be viewed below, provides that animals may only move under licence and imposes standstill periods when animals are brought onto holdings.

At present this standstill period is 13 days for cattle, sheep and goats, while for pigs a 20-day standstill is required under the Pig (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 1995. Although introduced as a direct result of the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak, these movement restrictions will also help to control the spread of other potential outbreaks of contagious diseases.

Movement restrictions on cattle born or reared in the UK before August 1996

All cattle born or reared in the UK before 1 August 1996 are subject to movement restrictions as an extra precaution against meat from these older cattle entering the food chain (milk from such animals can be sold for human consumption). Further iInformation is available on movement restrictions on cattle born or reared in the UK before August 1996 on the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) website.

Cattle born or reared in the UK before 1 August 1996 are permanently excluded from the food chain and it is illegal to send them for slaughter for human consumption. At the end of their productive lives, they must be treated in the same way as fallen cattle.

Legislation

The following Legislation covers the animal disease control movements:

• The Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Order 2002

• The Disease Control and Animal Movements (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2002

• The Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2002

• The Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2002

• The Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2003 (now revoked)

• The Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2007

• The Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Amendment (No 2) Order 2007

• The Disease Control (Interim Measures) (Scotland) Amendment (No 3) Order 2007