Register livestock to get a flock or herd mark
How to get a flock or herd mark for livestock (including those kept as pets) and keep your registered details up to date.
Applies to England
If you plan to keep livestock (including those kept as pets), you must register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to get a flock or herd mark.
You should do this before you move the livestock onto the land or into the buildings where you’ll keep them.
Livestock includes:
- sheep
- cattle
- goats
- pigs
- deer
You do not need a flock mark for poultry.
You must contact APHA if any of your details change after you register. For example, if you already have a flock or herd mark for one species, you must contact APHA if you start keeping another species.
You must have a county parish holding (CPH) number to register with APHA. You need to apply for a CPH number from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).
What flock and herd marks are
Flock and herd marks are unique combinations of numbers (and letters for pigs and deer).
They’re used on tags (and other identifiers, such as tattoos) to identify where animals were born or last tagged. This is so the animals can be traced to help prevent and contain the spread of disease.
How to get a flock or herd mark
Contact APHA if you plan to keep livestock for any purpose, including as pets. This includes if you already keep livestock, but plan to keep another species at the same place.
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Email: customer.registration@apha.gov.uk
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
You’ll need to tell them:
- your CPH number
- what species of livestock you keep, how many and for what purpose
If you plan to keep cattle, bison or buffalo, you’ll also need to tell APHA the name and address of your veterinary practice for bovine TB testing purposes. If the practice is part of the UK Farmcare network, you will not have to pay for the testing.
What happens next
APHA will:
- register your livestock and you as their keeper
- send you the flock or herd mark
This usually takes 10 working days, but it can take longer during busy periods.
What to do next
If you plan to keep cattle, bison or buffalo, make sure you’ve also registered as a cattle keeper with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS).
Get tags to identify the animals
When you get your flock or herd mark, you’ll be able to get tags (or other types of identifiers such as tattoos) to:
- identify animals born on your holding
- replace lost or damaged tags
The type of tag needed, and when you need to apply them, depends on the species of animal.
Find out how and when to identify:
- cattle with ear tags
- sheep with ear tags, pastern bands or boluses
- goats with ear tags, pastern bands or boluses
- deer with ear tags
- pigs with ear tags, tattoos or slap marks
Find a tag supplier
You must buy tags from approved:
You can choose any supplier for:
- pig ear tags and tattoo and slap mark equipment
- deer ear tags
When contacting a supplier, you’ll need your flock or herd mark and your CPH number.
The supplier will send you official tags which are each printed with the herd or flock mark.
Cattle, sheep and goat ear tags also have a unique official identification number for each animal.
Follow livestock movement rules
You must follow rules to help ensure your animals can be traced at all times. Find out more about keeping:
Tell APHA about any changes
You must contact APHA if your details change after you register. This includes if you:
- start keeping a new species of livestock
- stop keeping a species of livestock
- stop keeping any livestock
- change where you plan to keep livestock (for example, taking on new land)
- retire from farming (including if someone else takes on your farm)
Animal and Plant Health Agency
Email: customer.registration@apha.gov.uk
Telephone (Defra rural services helpline): 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges