Exporting cattle to Great Britain and EU Member States
This section of our website provides useful information and guidance in relation to cattle being exported for breeding, production or slaughter from Northern Ireland to Great Britain or EU Member States.
Export certification to GB (England, Scotland & Wales)
- From OUTSIDE of NI Bluetongue Control Zones - moves are permitted with no requirements beyond those normally in place.
- DIRECT from Bluetongue Control Zones - requires a licence and may require additional testing or vaccination depending on if the animals for export are low-risk or high-risk.
Low risk animals - do not require additional testing or vaccination. You can move these animals as per normal procedure but you will need to download a general licence to move out of the NI zone.
High risk animals – these require additional pre-movement testing or vaccination as per the table shown. You will require a specific licence to move these animals. You must have been granted this licence BEFORE your PVP applies for the export or else the move will be blocked by NIFAIS.
Licences – details of licence requirements, how to apply and downloads of available licences can be accessed here Bluetongue Licences | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
Please note if your export is to Scotland only, you also need to download a general Bluetongue Licence for Scotland available here: General licence to move animals from a bluetongue restricted zone to Scotland (EXD662(EW)) - GOV.UK
Table of Low-Risk and High-Risk Categorisation
| Low-risk Animals | High-risk Animals |
Females <18 months Bulls <14 months All castrated Males | Females ≥18 months Bulls ≥14 months |
Requirements to export High-Risk Cattle
| Animal Type | Required Certification |
| Pregnant females ≥18 months | PCR and ELISA test within 7 calendar days of export OR vaccination completed 3 weeks before pregnancy (Bultavo only) |
| Non-pregnant females ≥18 months | Declaration from a vet to say not pregnant, otherwise requirements as per pregnant females. |
| Bulls ≥14 months | PCR test within 7 calendar days pre-export |
Export of Cattle for Breeding Production
Cattle being exported for breeding or production from Northern Ireland to Great Britain must be accompanied by an export health certificate. Within this category, there are 3 possible scenarios covered. Please click on each scenario for the relevant information and forms:
- breeding/production cattle exported directly from their premises of origin
- breeding/production cattle exported via an export assembly centre
breeding/production cattle exported from an assembly centre via a GB export premises
Exports of Cattle for Direct Slaughter
Cattle being exported for slaughter from Northern Ireland to Great Britain must be accompanied by an export health certificate. Within this category, there are 4 possible scenarios covered. Please click on each scenario for the relevant information and forms:
- slaughter cattle exported directly from their premises of origin
- slaughter cattle exported from premises of origin via an export assembly centre
- slaughter cattle exported from a market via an export assembly centre
- slaughter cattle exported directly from a market
Export certification for breeding / production cattle to EU Member States
- Exports to Ireland are suspended indefinitely due to Bluetongue.
- Exports to other Member States may be possible if the Member State is not Bluetongue Free and a derogation is available.
The links below provide details of the documentation required for the export of breeding/production cattle from Northern Ireland to another European Union (EU) Member State. For further information please contact your local Divisional Veterinary Office (DVO). There are 2 scenarios covered in this section. Please click on each scenario for the relevant information and forms:
- breeding/production cattle export direct from their premises of origin
- breeding/production cattle export from an export assembly centre
- Approved Quarantine Establishment
Guidance on BVD requirements for export where applicable can be found on:
Export certification for slaughter cattle to EU Member States
Exports for direct slaughter to any Member State, including Ireland. 48-hour pre-notification is required.
The export of cattle for slaughter from Northern Ireland to another European Union (EU) Member State is covered by Export health Certificate 64/432 (2014/798) F1 Bovine. This certificate can be found on the official TRACES (Trade and Control Expert System) website. The links below provide details of the documentation required for the export of slaughter cattle direct to a slaughterhouse in another Member State. There are 2 different scenarios. Please click on each scenario for the relevant information and forms:
- slaughter cattle export direct from the premises of origin to their destination in another Member State
- slaughter cattle export from an EU approved assembly centre in Northern Ireland
Export certification for breeding / production cattle to Isle of Man
Exports to the Isle of Man are on hold due to BTV
Cattle being exported for breeding or production from Northern Ireland to Isle of Man must be accompanied by an export health certificate (EHC).
• Breeding / Production Cattle to Isle of Man EHC 0025
The EHC application process is completed using DAERA Export Certification System (DECS).
Guidance on using the tool is available in the DECS exporter’s instructions at the link below: