Sheep and goat condensed guidance
In Scotland, sheep and goat identification and traceability are vital for disease prevention, control, eradication and the protection of public health. This condensed guidance is designed to be a handy companion to, and complement, the existing sheep and goat guidance already available.
Registration
Registration must be completed within 30 days of first keeping animals. Before keeping sheep or goats, you must:
- Register your holding with the Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) to obtain a County Parish Holding (CPH) number
- Register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to receive a flock mark (sheep) or herd mark (goats)
- Register with ScotEID for the purpose of completing the Sheep and Goat Annual Inventory
Note: you must also contact all of the above to de-register when you cease to keep animals.
A ‘landless’ livestock keeper in Scotland refers to a person who does not own or occupy any land on a permanent basis and keeps livestock on other registered holdings. Landless keepers must still register with RPID and will obtain a unique identification number, known as a ‘7000’, or ‘landless keeper’ CPH code. However, all registration of animals and movements must be reported against a permanent holding, meaning the holding where the animals are physically residing. All land on which livestock are kept must have a CPH number, and movements must be reported against that holding.
Similarly, for the Sheep and Goat Annual Inventory, landless keepers should register with ScotEID using their 7000 code, but must record animals against each individual permanent CPH where they are physically located, rather than reporting the animals under the 7000 code.