24.—(1) No person may remove an eartag or tattoo attached or applied to an animal under any of the previous Orders without the authorisation of the National Assembly for Wales, unless it is removed to prevent unnecessary pain or suffering to the animal.
(2) Paragraphs (3) to (6) are subject to article 25.
(3) If an S mark is removed, lost or illegible, the keeper of the animal must, if he or she knows the number of that S mark, attach or apply an identical replacement to the animal as soon as possible, but no later than 6 months, after the S mark was removed, lost or discovered to be illegible, but in any event before the animal is moved from the holding.
(4) If an origin mark is removed, lost or illegible, the keeper must attach or apply to the animal—
(a)an identical replacement;
(b)an eartag or tattoo with the letters “UK”, in the case of an eartag, the flockmark or herdmark of the flock or herd of birth and a unique number, if the animal is on its holding of birth; or
(c)an R tag or, in the case of the replacement of a tattoo, an R tattoo, if the animal is on a holding other than the holding of birth.
(5) If an F mark is removed, lost or illegible, the keeper must attach or apply to the animal—
(a)an identical replacement;
(b)an eartag or tattoo with the letters “UK”, in the case of an eartag, the flockmark or herdmark of the flock or herd of import and a unique number and the letter “F”, if the animal is on the holding of import; or
(c)an R tag or, in the case of the replacement of a tattoo, an R tattoo, if the animal is on a holding other than the holding of import.
(6) If an R mark is removed, lost or illegible, the keeper must attach or apply to the animal—
(a)an R tag, if the R mark is an eartag or a tattoo; or
(b)an R tattoo, if the R mark is a tattoo.
(7) For the purposes of this article, the “S mark” (“nod S”), “origin mark” (“nod y tarddiad”), “F mark” (“nod F”) and “R mark” (“nod R”) mean—
(a)the S mark, origin mark, F mark and R mark that was attached or applied to an animal in accordance with any of the previous Orders applicable in Wales; or
(b)in the case of an animal from England, Scotland or Northern Ireland any eartag that was attached to an animal in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland in accordance with any of the previous Orders applicable in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland that bears the same code as an S mark, origin mark, F mark or R mark.