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Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

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  • Introduction to Identification, Registration and Movement of Animals

    Topics:
    • Animal Health, Welfare and Trade, 
    • Identification, registration and movement

    This section contains information related to the identification, registration and movement (IRM) of animals. The identification and tracing of animals for veterinary purposes is of crucial importance for the control of infectious diseases.

    Livestock Identification Prefix Code – End of the Transition Period on 30 June 2025

    (updated 30 June 2025)

    The prefix code on Northern Ireland livestock tags has changed from ‘UK’ to ‘XI’.

    From Monday 30 June 2025 all newborn cattle, sheep and goats in Northern Ireland must only be identified with ‘XI’ prefixed tags.

    Unused stocks of ‘UK’ prefixed tags are now obsolete, and keepers should dispose of them, as they will not be able to use them to identify their animals.

    There is no requirement to re-identify animals which were identified in Northern Ireland with ‘UK’ tags prior to 30 June 2025, if they are remaining within the UK.

    All livestock being exported to continental Europe must be identified with 'XI' tags prior to their export.  Any such animals previously tagged with 'UK' tags must be re-identified with ‘XI’ tags.  For cattle this must be done under veterinary supervision.

    All sheep and goats being exported to Ireland must be identified with 'XI' tags prior to their export.  Any such sheep and goats previously tagged with 'UK' tags must be re-identified with ‘XI’ tags, with the re-identification recorded in the flock register.  Keepers may wish to consider re-identifying all sheep and goats going to market with ‘XI’ tags to ensure they are eligible for purchase for export.

    Cattle identified with ‘UK’ tags prior to 30 June 2025 can still be exported to Ireland without being re-identified with ‘XI’ tags.

    This change, which is a legal requirement under EU Animal Health Law, has ensured continued unfettered access (subject to normal export eligibility requirements) to both EU and UK internal markets for our livestock and agri-food products. It will also help prepare for the introduction of bovine electronic identification in the future.

    Please see Tag prefix changes Q&A for further details.

    Show Guidance

    Detailed in the guidance below are the requirements relating to the movement of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry into and out of local Agricultural Shows during the 2024 Show season.

    Agricultural show guidance 2024

    Standstill

    The 6-day whole-farm standstill restriction no longer applies from Monday 4 March 2013. From this date, animals moved onto a holding will not cause movement restrictions for other animals on the holding. This relaxation will allow livestock to move more freely between holdings.

    For disease control and animal welfare purposes an animal cannot move to a market if that animal has been in a market in the last 6 days.

    Keepers who move cattle, pigs, goats and sheep must comply with the conditions of the revised general movement licence when moving livestock within Northern Ireland.

    • General Movement Licence

    Application for Animal Group Number

    Application and registration of Cattle Herd, Sheep Flock, Goat and Pig Herds, Horses, Poultry and other Registration Numbers.

    • Animal Group Number Application
    • AIPM4 Application for Flock Number 2021
    • Animal Group Number Keeper Amendment Application
    • Animal Group Number Re-activation Application

    Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS)

    NIFAIS will replace APHIS which has been in operation since 1999 and is approaching the end of its natural life span and support contract. The NIFAIS programme was established to procure, develop and implement a new system utilising the most up-to-date technologies which will be flexible, adaptable and future proofed. NIFAIS will build upon the already world leading functionality that APHIS currently delivers and enable DAERA to move forward with new advances in IT.

    NIFAIS Customer Feedback

    We asked our customers for feedback on APHIS and what they would like NIFAIS to do.

    We appreciate the input and want to thank all who supplied us with feedback. We welcome your comments and suggestions that might help us to make improvements to our service.

    You can contact us by clicking on the following link

    • NIFAIS Programme

    More Useful Links

    • Notification of retagging of bovine animals (MC1A)
    • Validation inspection form for correlated individual animals (VC1A)
    • DNA application form and guidance
    • Cattle Identification (No.2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 (legislation.gov.uk)
    • Cattle Identification (Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998
    • Cattle Identification (Notification of Births, Deaths and Movements) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (legislation.gov.uk)
    • VCXI Correlation Form for Animals Re-Identified with XI Tags

    Related content

    • Brexit transition Q&As - Movement of animals
    • Codes for use in a herd register
    • Ear tag information
    • EU exit and moving equines
    • Identification, registration and movement of birds
    • Identification, registration and movement of cattle
    • Identification, registration and movement of horses
    • Identification, registration and movement of pigs
    • Identification, registration and movement of sheep and goats
    • Livestock Markets
    • Meat Plant Information
    • NIFAIS Go Live Preparations
    • Northern Ireland Poultry Health Assurance Scheme (NIPHAS)
    • Q&As - Livestock Identification Tag Prefix Code
    • Q&As for Pet Travel from 1 January 2021
    • Questions and Answers on Traceability
    • Single Lifetime Identification Document for Equines (“Horse Passports”)
    • Travelling with Pets
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