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Livestock movement rules to be simplified
cows being moved
Farmers will be able to move animals around any land they have registered within a 10 mile radius - without the need for reporting or standstills.

New system welcomed by farmers

Farming minister George Eustice has announced plans to simplify the rules for moving livestock. The new regime will be introduced in July this year and phased in over a 12 month period.

Under the current system, farmers must report livestock movements to any other land they own or rent within a five mile radius. This triggers an automatic six-day lockdown, or 'standstill', during which time no animals can be moved.

There are a raft of different rules for sheep, cattle and pigs, which fall under a complex web of schemes.

According to Defra, the new scheme hopes to simplify the rules, cut red tape and reduce the burden of form filling. It will allow farmers to move animals around any land they have registered within a 10 mile radius - without the need for reporting or standstills. The reporting and lockdown requirements will still apply for movements to other farms or businesses.

The new system for registering land will be run jointly by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

APHA's veterinary director Simon Hall said the changes will also help with disease prevention by providing better livestock location data.

Mr Eustice added: "When a disease outbreak occurs, knowing where animals have been is fundamental to containing and eliminating it."

The changes have been welcomed by the National Farmers Union. Chairman of the livestock board, Charles Sercombe, commented: "We believe they have the potential to simplify the holding registration and livestock movement regime which has been a burden on the livestock industry for many years.

"Many of our members have indicated that this is a positive step and should clarify how they manage their businesses on a daily basis, without any loss of traceability and disease control measures."

Livestock farmers will receive guidance about the new system from next month.

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Annual submission deadline small pet animal exemptions

News Story 1
 Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.

Submitting this annual return ensures continued compliance with regulatory requirements for products marketed without a full Marketing Authorisation. The exemption specifically applies to products intended for animals, cage birds, terrarium animals, small rodents, ferrets and rabbits.

For further details and submission guidelines, visit the gov.uk website.  

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BVA urges 'continued vigilance' over bluetongue

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has urged vigilance following a concerning rise in Bluetongue (BTV) cases in sheep and cattle.

In a recent statement, the BVA noted that members are reporting more severe clinical signs and higher mortality rates than in previous years.

'We know that farm vets are working hard to support farmers and animals affected by this outbreak, during what is an extremely difficult time for all involved,' they stated. 'Continued vigilance to identify disease early is vital and vaccination remains the best way of protecting animals from this disease.'