Sheep and goat: annual inventory - guidance

The annual sheep and goat inventory opens on 1 December every year and is to be completed online.

Register your details to enter the survey. Please register on the site using the CPH (county parish holding) number that was assigned to you. If you are a landless keeper, this will be a 7000 code CPH.

The annual inventory is a legal requirement. Failure to complete the survey will increase the chance of inspection.

Please complete the survey and provide the information as at 1 December of this year.

Reminder letters are not being sent out

The sheep and goat inventory is now fully paperless. Please see the official notice which informs keepers of the legal requirement to complete a yearly inventory in December through the survey website.

Keepers who have either selected ‘email’ as their contact preference in last year’s survey or have an email address registered on APHA will get an email reminder to complete the inventory.

What questions are asked

Please enter your stock figures in the survey for each CPH number you use as at 1 December.

Use one line per CPH number. Please make sure all the sheep and goats you own are accounted for.

In the first sheep column please enter the number of breeding females of any age put to the ram.

In the second sheep column please enter the number of all other sheep (including males and non-breeding females of all ages).

In the goats column please enter the total number of goats (including males and females of all ages).

If you are not currently keeping sheep or goats 

If you do not keep sheep or goats and do not intend to do so within the next 12 months, you should contact your local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) office (contact details on this page) and ask to have your registration as a keeper of sheep or goats removed.

Animals that are being over-wintered on 1 December this year on another location 

You should complete one return for your business including all the animals you own.

If you are using more than one holding as at 1 December, you should list each holding CPH and the total number of animals present there.

If there are graziers’ animals on your holding

You should complete one return for your business including all the animals you own.

If other businesses are using your holding, the animals should be included on their return.

If you have animals on more than 25 holdings

Please contact ScotEID on 01466 794323.

Contact details for Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) offices

• Ayr - 03000 600 703 APHA.Scotland@apha.gov.uk 
• Galashiels - 03000 600 711 APHA.Scotland@apha.gov.uk 
• Inverness - 03000 600 709 APHA.Scotland@apha.gov.uk 
• Inverurie - 03000 600 708 APHA.Scotland@apha.gov.uk 
• Perth - 03000 600 704 APHA.Scotland@apha.gov.uk