Cattle identification

BCMS maintain the Great Britain Cattle Tracing System (CTS) (external link) on behalf of Welsh Government, Scottish Government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

The keeper's handbook has been updated and can be found at: BCMS Publications and Guidance (external link), if you have not received your new handbook, please contact BCMS or your Local Divisional Office.

Passport Changes - 1 August 2011

A single page passport (CPP52) will be printed from 1 August 2011.  The change is being introduced as the electronic services for cattle reporting – CTS Online and the self-service phone system has proven to be increasingly popular.

How can you report cattle movements?

Your new single page passport will not contain pre-paid movement cards. A number of alternatives routes to report movements are available.

Existing chequebook-style passports

• You can continue to use the movement cards in them
• You can report movements on line
• You can report movements on the telephone
• You can report movements using farm software
• You can ask an agent or if your market is able to report the movement for you. *

New single page passports

• You can report movements on line
• You can report movements on the telephone
• You can report movements using farm software 
• You can ask an agent or if your market is able to report the movement for you.*

*Please check whether the market you use is offering this service, if they are not reporting movements for you, you must report the movement. The responsibility for reporting movements remains with you as the keeper.

There are no changes to the cattle regulations and you must still report movements to BCMS within three days.

Got the internet?

• A free website giving an easy way to report birth, movement and death information.
• Information is checked for errors before it is sent and an instant receipt is provided.
• View cattle statement information for your holding at any time and check it against your own records.
• A secure and reliable way to send information and provide feedback to correct any problems.

Use farm software?

• Keep your farm records up to date and send birth, movement and death information using CTS Web Services at a time that suits you.
• A secure and reliable way to send information and a receipt is given.
• Information is checked for errors when it is sent.

No computer? - BCMS telephone reporting service

The British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) has an alternative way to report information – the CTS Self Service Line. Farmers can now report their information using an automated phone service.

The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which makes it easier for farmers to meet the three-day deadline for movement reporting. And, it’s quicker and more reliable than sending information to BCMS by post.

The Welsh-language service is available on 0845 011 1213 allowing farmers to input their information using the phone’s keypad. The English service is available on 0845 011 1212, which also allows farmers to speak their information. Calls are charged at local rate, though calls from mobile phones depend on the service provider.

More information is available on the BCMS pages of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) website (external link) or by phoning the BCMS helpline on 0845 050 3456 (Welsh-language) or 0845 050 1234 (English).

Or, you can ask an agent or market to report your movements for you.

Imported animals

If you have newborn or imported cattle, or your original identification document needs to be reissued, BCMS will send you a single page passport (CPP52).  There will be no requirement to return current passports for reissue to the new style document.

The new style passport

The design of the passport includes a heat sensitive diamond shape security feature on the bottom right corner.  The colour will fade from this diamond when heat is applied for example when pressed between your finger and thumb; this assures you that the passport is an original document.

Space has been provided which can be used for farm assurance stickers, auction or market lot numbers, write TB testing details or other information.

Passports will be sent to you folded in half. You may punch holes in the passports if you wish to store them in a file. You may also fold them into three, so that they can be filed together with chequebook-style passports.
 
A question and answer document about the passport change this can be found on the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) website (external link).

Livestock Movements

A cattle movement takes place when live cattle move ‘on’ or ‘off’ a holding. Some examples are:

• a private sale where an animal moves ‘off’ one farm and ‘on’ to another;
• moving from a farm to a slaughterhouse, market, showground or hunt kennel;
• moving from a market or showground to a farm;
• moving between separately managed herds at the same farm.

Remember: You must tell BCMS about movements within three days.

Further information is in your cattle keeper’s handbook.

Useful links

BCMS helplines: Welsh 0845 0503 456 - English 0845 0501 234

British Cattle Movement Service

The Cattle Identification (Wales) Regulations 2007 - United Kingdom legislation website

The Cattle Identification (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2007 - United Kingdom legislation website