Guidance

Bluetongue movement licences and designated slaughterhouses

When you need to use movement licences.

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Animal and Plant Health Agency
Published
26 April 2024
Last updated
21 January 2025 — See all updates

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

The UK is in a seasonally vector low period. This means the risk of transmission of bluetongue is now very low. You must still have a licence to move animals out of a restricted zone.

If you moved animals out of the restricted zone on or before 20 January 2025, you must comply with any post-movement testing requirements set out in your licence or restriction notice.

References to animals means ruminants (for example, cattle, sheep, goats, deer and other ruminants) and camelids (for example, llamas and alpacas).

When you need to apply for a licence

Certain movements are not permitted in a bluetongue zone or from premises which have been served a bluetongue premises or individual animal restriction notice.

Some movements may be permitted by a general licence, or you can apply for a specific licence.

You may need to:

  • download and comply with the conditions of a general licence where applicable
  • apply for a specific licence for movement

General licences

Check carefully that the bluetongue general licence applies to you before making a movement and always download the latest version as they are updated from time to time. A copy should accompany any animals moved under the general licence.

General licences do not apply if your premises is under a bluetongue restriction notice. If you have been served a bluetongue premises or individual animal restriction notice and wish to move animals, you can apply for a specific licence.

General licence What it is for
EXD 634 (E) (GL) (PDF, 155 KB, 4 pages) For movements of animals kept within a restricted zone (RZ) to a dedicated slaughter market in England or direct to a slaughterhouse in Great Britain for the purpose of immediate slaughter.

Apply for a specific licence

You can apply for a specific licence if you need to move stock out of the restricted zone and a general licence does not apply to your circumstances.

Allow at least 5 days for your licence application to be processed where possible. Complex and high-risk movements will need extra time to process.

Make contingency plans to allow for the time it takes to be issued. Consider what steps you will need to take if the licence is refused or cannot be issued in time. 

If a specific licence is issued, it will allow a movement that is subject to certain conditions based on disease control risk.

You may need to organise pre-movement testing of your animals. APHA will provide instructions when you apply for a licence.

Premises that have any land within the restricted zone or straddle the boundary are classified as being within the zone.

Take precautions when moving animals. Check your stock for possible signs of disease before loading.

Holdings in a restricted zone

You can download and use  EXD 634 (E) (GL) (PDF, 155 KB, 4 pages) for movements of animals kept within a restricted zone (RZ):

  • to a dedicated slaughter market outside the restricted zone in England and then directly to a slaughterhouse in Great Britain (England, Scotland or Wales)
  • directly to a slaughterhouse in Great Britain for immediate slaughter

The declaration of the bluetongue restricted zone (RZ) also imposed a bluetongue Infected Area which applies to the same geographical area as the RZ which restricts the movement of animals on and off premises and in or out of the Infected Area. This licence EXD612(E) (GL) is published to overcome legal restrictions that would otherwise prevent movement of animals. This does not remove any obligations to comply with BTV movement restrictions and licences and does not permit the movement of animals out of a RZ.

You must apply for a specific licence if you need to move germinal products from susceptible animals out of the zone, or you wish to freeze germinal products in the zone. If you operate a germinal product collection centre you may apply to be designated.

Holdings or animals with a restriction notice

APHA will issue a notice to the keeper or occupier that explains the restrictions that are in place.

You can apply for a specific licence if:

  • you need to move your animals or germinal products onto and off the premises while these restrictions are in place
  • there is an urgent welfare need to move animals, including short distance moves out of the restricted zone

If APHA approves a welfare licence, the animals will be placed under restriction. APHA may ask you to organise a visit by your private vet, at your cost, to take samples from the animals after they have moved. The samples will be tested free of charge.

Designated slaughterhouses

Slaughterhouses do not need to be designated to slaughter animals that originate from a bluetongue restricted zone during the seasonally vector low period.

Updates to this page

Published 26 April 2024
Last updated 21 January 2025 + show all updates

  1. The UK is now in a seasonally vector low period (SVLP) and the guidance has been updated to reflect this. Use general licence EXD634 (E) for movements of animals kept within a restricted zone (RZ), to a dedicated slaughter market in England or direct to slaughterhouse in Great Britain, for the purpose of immediate slaughter. Slaughterhouses do not need to be designated during the SVLP. Removed licences and information about temporary control zones as these do not apply in the SVLP.

  2. Removed information about laboratory services, licence applications and deadlines over the Christmas period.

  3. The processing of movement licence applications and tests will take longer over the Christmas period, so you will need to allow extra time. Information on cut-off times and turnaround times has been added to the page.

  4. Added one new entry to the list of designated slaughterhouses in Yorkshire and the Humber.

  5. Added content on where to find information on licences relating to slaughter and breeding markets.

  6. Updated general licence EXD630 (E) - General licence for movements of animals from within a bluetongue zone to a Designated slaughterhouse for slaughter during a period of low risk of transmission.

  7. Added C & S Meats Ltd (8354), Sherborne DT9 6HX to list of South West slaughterhouses.

  8. Added 'General licence for movements of animals from within a bluetongue zone to a Designated slaughterhouse for slaughter during a period of low risk of transmission (EXD630 (E))'

  9. Updated general licence EXD 603. Check carefully that the updated bluetongue general licence applies to you before making a movement and always download the latest version.

  10. Added Dunbia Jaspers (8113), AC Hopkins (Taunton) Ltd (8184) and H P Westwood Ltd (4256) to list of slaughterhouses.

  11. Added Mutchmeats Ltd (6207), Witney OX29 7GX to South East list of slaughterhouses.

  12. Added Ken Ballard Ltd (6128), Tonbridge TN12 9HS to South East list of slaughterhouses.

  13. Removed links to the movement licences EXD 606 (E) and EXD 608 (E). These licences are now hosted on a different web page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/bluetongue-approved-slaughter-markets-and-designated-breeding-sales

  14. Added 2 new general licences - EXD 606 (E) and EXD 608 (E). Updated the list of designated slaughterhouses for West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.

  15. Added designated slaughterhouses in the North East and South West.

  16. Moved information about slaughter markets to a new page. The new page is titled: bluetongue-approved slaughter markets and breeding sales.

  17. Updated the list of designated slaughterhouses: added new abbatoirs for East Midlands, North West and South West.

  18. Updated the list of designated slaughterhouses for East Midlands and North West.

  19. Added new entries to the list of bluetongue approved slaughter markets.

  20. Added 1 new designated slaughterhouse in Yorkshire and the Humber.

  21. The page was updated to add a designated slaughterhouse in the East Midlands.

  22. The page has been updated to add 2 additional designated slaughterhouses in South West England.

  23. Removed information about 'Premises that have completed official bluetongue virus testing' that is now out of date.

  24. Added new designated slaughterhouses in the West Midlands and Yorkshire and the Humber.

  25. The page has been updated to add to the list of bluetongue approved slaughter markets.

  26. Added new designated slaughterhouses in East Midlands, South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber. Corrected the postcode of designated slaughterhouse John Penny and Sons (2285) in Leeds.

  27. Updated general licence EXD627 for movements of animals kept within a restricted zone, protection zone or surveillance zone to a Red Market outside of bluetongue zones for the purpose of sale for immediate slaughter.

  28. The page has been updated to add new designated slaughterhouses.

  29. Added new entries to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  30. The page has been updated to add a designated slaughterhouse.

  31. The page has been updated to add designated slaughterhouses and approved markets.

  32. Added a licence for movements from bluetongue zones to approved slaughter markets (or 'red markets') outside bluetongue zones. Added a licence for movements from approved slaughter markets to designated slaughterhouses or restricted zone slaughterhouses.

  33. Updated the list of abattoirs that can slaughter animals from a bluetongue virus restricted premises under licence.

  34. Updated the list of designated slaughterhouses

  35. Added 4152 Beesons Ltd (CW1 5QF) to designated slaughterhouses.

  36. Updated general licences EXD 601 and EXD 603. Check carefully that the updated bluetongue general licence applies to you before making a movement and always download the latest version.

  37. Added 4 new general licences.

  38. Added EXD 612 (E) (GL) licence.

  39. Added 2045 Dovecote Park Ltd (Stapleton) (WF8 3DD) to Designated Slaughterhouses, removed Approval to move under the Movement of Animals Restrictions Order.

  40. Added general licence EXD 612 and updated the page with latest information

  41. Added general licence EXD 603 (E) (GL) for movements of animals kept within a restricted zone (RZ), protection zone (PZ) or surveillance zone (SZ) to a designated slaughterhouse in England or Wales, for the purpose of immediate slaughter.

  42. Added general licence EXD601 for movements of animals kept within or outside a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) to a slaughterhouse located in a TCZ in England, for the purpose of immediate slaughter. Also updated general licence EXD602 as it now applies to Wales as well as England.

  43. Updated the landing page by adding links to pdf versions of general licences EXD602 (E), EXD610 (E) and EXD611 (E). Also made updates with further information as a result of recent bluetongue cases.

  44. Updated the landing page to reflect changes caused as a result of a recent bluetongue case.

  45. Added a new entry to the list of designated slaughterhouses

  46. Abattoir added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  47. Added J A Jewitt (Meat) Ltd (DL16 7QD) and ABP Kingswinford (DY6 7JS) to designated slaughterhouses.

  48. Added 2536 Pickstock Telford Ltd, 2569 Severn Valley Lamb Ltd and 8071 Dunbia West Devon to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  49. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  50. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  51. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  52. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  53. Abattoir added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  54. First published.

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