Let's try and clear this one up !! The following clarifies Slaughter only, other movements come under the same rules, but I won't cover here.
In England you come under the Pigs Records, Identification and Movement Order 2007, known as PRIMO 2007
In Wales you come under The Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) (Wales) Order 2008 (PRIMO 2008)
In Scotland you come under The Pigs (Records, Identification and Movement) Order 1995 (PRIMO 1995)
In England and Wales, a pig moving to slaughter comes under part 3 regulation 7 which states
7.—(1) No person may move a pig off a holding unless it has—
(a)an ear tag with the letters “UK” followed by the herdmark of the holding from which it is being moved; or.
(b)a tattoo showing that herdmark (with or without the letters “UK”).
Regulation 6(c) states that
(2) A tattoo must be applied either by tattoo forceps, in which case it must be on an ear, or by slap-marking equipment, in which case it must be on each shoulder.
There is an exemption which allows temporary paint marks for under 1 year old, but not to slaughter.
In Scotland, the 1995 regulation states under regulation 5
(3) It shall not be lawful to move a pig between holdings in Great Britain unless before the movement commences it is marked either—
(a)with an identification mark which complies with the preceding paragraphs,[eartag or tattoo] or
(b)with an identification mark which will last at least until the pig reaches its destination and which, either by itself or by reference to a document accompanying the pig during the movement, enables the holding from which the pig was last moved to be identified.
So under English and Welsh legislation, a pig going to slaughter must carry a eartag, tattoo or slapmark of the holding that is sending it.
Under Scottish legislation it can go to slaughter on a temporary paint mark, or a tag, tattoo or slapmark. For tag, or tatto, this can be one applied by the breeder, any intermediate owner who has tagged or tattoo it, or the holding from which it is being sent
The previous England and Wales legislation (PRIMO 2003) stated under regulation 14
No person shall move a pig over 12 months old off a holding unless it is marked with—
(a)an identification mark; or
(b)a slapmark that is legible for the life of the pig and throughout the processing of its carcase.
This meant that if it had been tagged, it didn't need tagging again.
Many officials, breeders and farmers are unaware of the change between PRIMO 2003 and 2007, so some breeders will still tag.
OK so that’s the legal side.
On top of this, abattoirs can set their requirements. I know of none in England that will accept a pig with an ear tattoo, most accept a single tag, or double slapmark. Some only accept a slapmark (as they can easily identify a live pig without having to get hold of their ears).
In Scotland, I am told that some accept a temporary paintmark, but again many insist on slapmarks or eartags, so that they can easily identify the pigs as they go through then process. If your abattoir in Scotland does accept paint marks, it is still probably better to tag or tattoo, so you can get traceability.
UK wide, the abattoir does not care one hoot what the number on the tag is, as long as it matches the paperwork – they have no responsibility for tagging or slapmarking, so as long as there is one they don’t care.
So if in England you buy a pig from a breeder and they tag it with their holding no. and you send this into the abattoir without adding you own, the abattoir will not mind, and the likelihood is that it will pass through with no problems. Since the AML2 accompanying it will be used to identify the sender if there is a problem, it is highly doubtful whether anyone would ever check that the herd no. matches the holding no. unless the paperwork gets lost, in which case they would go back to the breeder, who might have no idea who sent a pig in. If the breeder tags, and then the sender also tags, this just adds confusion at the abattoir, as they have to check two tags, so preferably buy your weaners without a tag, and add yours or slapmark. If the breeder has tagged, it is better to slapmark, as most abattoirs will see this and use it. By the by it is illegal to remove a tag previously applied !
Since Lillian lives in Scotland, she can go to slaughter on a paint mark if the abattoir accepts it, and Leri is right with 2008 for welsh PRIMO.
Leri – Many trading standards, animal welfare and other officialdom simply don’t understand the rules, or keep up to date on changes, so it is not surprising that whilst yours got the date right, he/she was still quoting 2003 legislation (which covered England and Walesthen – no welsh assdembly in those days)
For those that have stuck so far, Leri, SfS and Lillian are all correct in parts, as under consistent EU wide regulation we have three laws !!
