Sheep and goat keepers: how to keep a holding register
What you must record in a holding register (also called a flock or herd record), when to update it and what to use.
Applies to England
As a sheep and goat keeper, you must keep a holding register for each of your holdings.
You’re a sheep and goat keeper if you have responsibility for the day-to-day care and control of any sheep or goats. This includes those kept as pets or temporarily, for example at a market or showground.
You do not have to own the animals to be their keeper.
Find out about other rules to follow as a sheep and goat keeper.
Following the rules means that animals can be traced at all times to help prevent and contain disease. It’s your responsibility to follow the rules to avoid penalties such as movement restrictions on your herd, reduced subsidy payments, fines or prosecution.
What to record in your holding register
You must record:
- the first time you tag a lamb
- the first time you tag a kid
- replacement tags
- movements on and off your holding
- deaths on the holding
You must also record the total number of sheep and goats on your holding at the end of each year. This is so you can complete and submit your annual inventory.
You must keep your holding register for 3 years after the last animal dies or leaves the holding.
What you can use as a holding register
You can use any of the following:
- the Livestock Information Service (LIS) – you’ll need to create a LIS account
- farm software
- a spreadsheet or paper, for example a notebook
- the Defra template sheep and goat holding register
You’ll need to present your holding register when someone asks to see it, for example your local council or if you have a site visit from a RPA field officer.
You must make sure that any format you keep includes all the required information.
Use LIS to keep your holding register
Your LIS account can automatically record livestock movements to premises that also use LIS, such as markets and slaughterhouses.
For example, when you send animals to a market, your LIS holding register will automatically update with the animals’ official identification numbers scanned at the market.
You’re still responsible for making sure that your holding register is accurate. You can make corrections in LIS.
LIS has replaced the Animal Reporting and Movement Service (ARAMs).
If you’ve started using the LIS online holding register (from April 2022), keep a copy of any existing paper or other form of holding register that you may have.
If you used ARAMS before April 2022, get a copy of that holding register data from the LIS if you do not have it already.
Contact LIS for more information about creating an account or completing an online holding register.
Livestock Information Service
Email: support@livestockinformation.org.uk
Telephone: 03300 416 577
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Record first ear tags, pastern bands and boluses
Record the:
- date you tagged the animal
- official identification number displayed on the tags (or the flock or herd mark for slaughter tags)
- animal’s year of birth
- breed and genotype (genetic code) if you know them
You must record this information in your holding register within 36 hours of tagging the animal.
Find out how to:
Record replacement ear tags and pastern bands
Record the:
- date you applied the replacement tags
- animal’s new official identification number
- the previous official identification number if you know it (or the flock or herd mark, if the animal previously had a slaughter tag)
Replacement ear tags and pastern bands may give the animal a new official identification number. Make sure to record this against its previous official identification number, so it’s clear the number has changed.
You must record this information in your holding register within 36 hours of replacing the tags.
You do not need to record the previous and new official identification numbers for sheep and goats first tagged before 2010.
You do not need to record any of these details in the register where a new pair of tags is a replica pair (has the same identification number as the previous tag). Find out how to get replacement or replica tags for your sheep and goats.
When to record movements in your holding register
You must record movements on and off your holding within 36 hours.
You do not have to record the movement if it’s to or from:
- land within 10 miles of your main holding that shares the same county parish holding (CPH) number
- common land that borders your holding, if your holding is linked to the common land
Read the guidance on how to report and record sheep and goat movements.
Record off movements
When animals move off your holding, you must record in your holding register the:
- date of movement
- official identification number displayed on the tags (or flock or herd mark for slaughter tags)
- number of animals moved
- CPH number for the location the animals are moved to
- haulier’s name
- registration number of transport used
If the movement is to land with a different CPH number, but where you remain the animals’ keeper, you do not need to record the official identification numbers.
Record on movements
When animals move onto your holding, you must record in your holding register the:
- date of movement
- official identification number (or flock or herd mark for slaughter tags)
- number of animals moved
- CPH number of the land the animals arrived from
If the movement is to land with a different CPH number where you remain the keeper, you do not need to record the official identification number.
Record movements to and from holdings that scan electronic identification (EID) tags
Holdings (usually markets) that have been approved to scan animals’ electronic identification (EID) tags when they arrive (on behalf of the sending keeper) are known as central point recording centres (CPRCs).
When moving animals to and from these premises you only need to:
- record date of the movement
- record the total number of animals moved
You must do this within 36 hours.
Tick the CPRC box on the LIS-1 movement document. The CPRC will give you the official identification numbers of the animals after they arrive.
You must then add these to your holding register within 48 hours of sending the animals.
Record frequent moves to, or from, neighbouring holdings or fields
You can have a ‘standing entry’ (one entry) in your holding register if you frequently move animals to a holding that does not share your CPH number.
This could be:
- a neighbour’s field that shares a gate with yours
- a field across a road
The move must meet all of the following conditions:
- it’s frequent – you regularly move your animals several times a day or week
- it’s by foot
- there is no contact with other livestock
- you’re still responsible for the day-to-day care and control of your animals
Your standing entry in the movements section of your holding register must record:
- that such a move takes place regularly
- the frequency of the moves
- the CPH numbers of the land the animals are moved to and from
You do not need to record:
- how many animals are moved
- the animals’ official identification numbers
The person you share the standing entry with must also have a standing entry in their holding register.
Standing entries on LIS
Standing entries recorded on the LIS holding register will appear at the top of the movements section. You can switch it on and off as you need to, for example if the arrangement with your neighbour stops and starts from time to time.
For help using this, contact LIS.
Livestock Information Service
Email: support@livestockinformation.org.uk
Telephone: 03300 416 577
Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Record deaths on a holding
You must record deaths of sheep and goats on a holding in your holding register. You must do this within 36 hours of discovering the death. Record the:
- date of death
- animal’s official identification number
You do not need to report the death to LIS.
When an animal dies on your holding (or at your home, if a pet), you must also follow the rules to safely and legally dispose of the animal.
If you stop keeping sheep and goats
You must tell RPA and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) as soon as possible if you stop keeping sheep and goats.
Read how to update your details or contact the Defra rural services helpline.
Defra rural services helpline
Telephone: 03000 200 301
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm
Find out about call charges
Updates to this page
Last updated 4 September 2023 + show all updates
-
Changed telephone number and opening hours for Livestock Information Service.
-
Contact details on this guidance have changed from LUIS Section, Rural Payments Agency to Livestock Information Service.
-
Information about completing the annual inventory moved to a separate page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sheep-and-goat-keepers-complete-your-annual-inventory. Improved sign posting to other sheep and goats content on GOV.UK
-
Under heading 'Record and submit your annual inventory', updated dates for 2022 and replaced paper form sample and letter sample with 2022 attachments.
-
Due to the launch of a new movement reporting system, updated the guidance and links from the Animal Reporting and Movement Service (ARAMS) to the Livestock Information Service (LIS). This change applies to the ‘How to keep your holding register’ section.
-
Updated the 'Record and submit your annual inventory' and 'Contact Defra' sections for the 2021 submission.
-
Updated the 'Record and submit your annual inventory' and 'Contact Defra' sections for 2020 submission.
-
Updated the 'Record and submit your annual inventory' and 'Contact Defra' sections.
-
Updated section ‘Frequent moves to or from neighbouring holdings or fields’ - defined frequent and added 'you’re still responsible for day to day care and control of your animals'.
-
Contact details updated.
-
Updated the 'Record and submit your annual inventory' section.
-
Removed overview of standstill rules and linked to guidance with clearer rules. Added link to submit annual inventory online and who to contact if you need help with the inventory.
-
First published.