The Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) (England) Order 2009

PART 10Markets

Markets

26.—(1) A market operator must ensure that all animals are divided into lots of one or more animals immediately upon their arrival at the market and that a lot number is allocated to each lot.

(2) No person may buy an animal at a market unless they buy all the other animals in the lot to which that animal belongs and moves the entire lot from the market to the same holding.

(3) No person may sell an animal at a market unless they also sell all the other animals in the lot to the same buyer.

(4) A market operator may not receive an animal onto a market unless—

(a)it is identified in accordance with this Order; and

(b)it is accompanied by a movement document which is completed in accordance with Part 8.

(5) But a market operator may receive an animal onto a market which is not identified in accordance with this Order with the approval of the local authority.

Replacement of identification marks lost at markets

27.—(1) The requirements in this Order to replace an identification mark do not apply to a market operator or slaughterhouse operator.

(2) If an identification mark is removed, lost or discovered to be illegible while an animal is at a market, the keeper who purchases the animal at the market must apply a replacement in accordance with this Order.

Contingency planning for power and equipment failures

28.—(1) Local authorities may exempt market, collection centre and slaughterhouse operators from the need to record—

(a)an animal’s unique number on a movement document;

(b)an animal’s unique number in a holding register; or

(c)the numbers of animals in any batch bearing a particular flockmark or herdmark,

where a contingency plan has been agreed between the local authority and the market or slaughterhouse operator.

(2) A local authority may withdraw any such exemption if it is no longer satisfied with the operation or terms of the contingency plan.

(3) A contingency plan agreed under paragraph (1) must set out the conditions which must be met by the market or slaughterhouse operator and the circumstances in which, provided those conditions are met, the exemptions in paragraph (1) will apply.

(4) A market or slaughterhouse operator must seek the consent of the local authority as soon as possible on every occasion when they wish to apply the exemptions in paragraph (1) and must cease to accept animals without recording the information referred to in paragraph (1) if that consent is refused.

(5) For the purposes of this article “collection centre” means any holding at which sheep or goats originating from different holdings are grouped together to form consignments of animals intended for export or which is used in the course of export.