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)
- Exports to England and Wales from all of Northern Ireland are permitted as pre usual pre-Bluetongue requirements.
- Exports to Scotland from all of Northern Ireland require additional Bluetongue attestations - details available here.
Export of Cattle to GB 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 to GB 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
Ireland have published a derogation which permits movement for Breeding and Production without additional Bluetongue requirements so long as Northern Ireland only has BTV3.
- 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
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: