Sheep and goat identification and traceability: guidance for keepers in Scotland

Getting started

You must register your holding within 30 days from the date you first keep animals.

If you are a new sheep or goat keeper you must register your holding with your local Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (RPID) Office (contact details at annex A). They will give you a CPH number which is a unique code allocated to the land where animals are kept. The CPH code is used when reporting and recording animal movements.

You must then tell your local Animal Health Divisional Office (AHDO) (contact details at annex B) where you are going to keep sheep or goats and they will give you a flockmark (sheep) or herdmark (goats) for your holding. The flockmark or herdmark is allocated to the holding and must be used to identify all animals born on the holding. Keepers who use the same holding must use the same flockmark or herdmark. You require the flockmark or herdmark to buy tags and electronic identifiers.

You must also inform your local AHDO within 30 days of ceasing to keep animals on a holding.