Guidance

Bluetongue movement licences and designated slaughterhouses

When you need to use a movement licence and designated slaughterhouses for bluetongue restricted premises.

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

When you need to apply for a licence

ThereCertain movements are not permitted in a numberbluetongue ofzone Generalor Licencesfrom premises which have been served a bluetongue restriction notice.  Some may now availablebe permitted by a General Licence which is published here, or you may apply for use. a specific licence.

You may need to:

  • download and comply with the conditions of a general licence where applicable
  • apply for a specific licence for movement

General Licences

Please check carefully that theythe applybluetongue general licence applies to you before making a movement and always download the latest version as they are updated from time to time. A copy should accompany any animals moved under the General Licence.

Some

General premisesLicence nameWhat it is for
EXD 603 (E) (GL) (PDF, 137 KB, 5 pages)for movements of animals kept within a restricted zone (RZ), protection zone (PZ) or surveillance zone (SZ) to a designated slaughterhouse in England areor underWales, for the purpose of immediate slaughter.

Apply for a specific licence

Allow at least 5 days for your licence application to be processed where possible. Complex and youhigh-risk maymovements will need to:extra time to process.

  • download

    Make andcontingency complyplans withto allow for the conditionstime ofit atakes generalto be issued. Consider what steps you will need to take if the licence whereis applicable

  • applyrefused foror cannot be issued in time. 

    If a specific licence foris issued, it will allow a movement

that is subject to certain conditions based on disease control risk.

References to animals means ruminants (for example cattle, sheep, goats, deer and other ruminants) and camelids (for example llamas and alpacas)

ThePremises followingthat typeshave ofany premisesland within the restricted zone or straddle the boundary are underclassified bluetongueas restriction.being within the zone.

Please take precautions when moving animals, checking your stock for possible signs of disease and spraying the inside of vehicles with an insecticide approved for use against flying insects prior to loading. Please only move animals when absolutely necessary.

Holdings which are in a Restricted Zone

You can download and use  EXD 603 (E) (GL) (PDF, 137 KB, 5 pages) for movements of animals kept within a restricted zone (RZ), protection zone (PZ) or surveillance zone (SZ) to a designated slaughterhouse in England or Wales, for the purpose of immediate slaughter. You do not need a licence to move to a slaughterhouse located in an RZ and this does not need to be designated. Conditions apply.

This general licence does not apply if your premises is under a bluetongue restriction notice. notice. If you are under a bluetongue restriction notice and wish to move animals, you can apply for a specific licence.

MovementsFor ofall susceptibleother animalsanimal intomovements, orincluding withinmoves to live to premises outside the RZrestricted dozone, notyou needmust apply for a specific licence.

For allAt otherthis moves,time, includingyou movescannot tomove liveanimals to premisesa market outside the restricted zone youand mustcannot applymove foranimals purchased at a specificmarket licenceinside ifthe zone to destinations outside the zone. We are keeping this under review.

If you need to move yourgerminal products from susceptible animals out of the zone, or you wish to freeze germinal products onin tothe andzone, offyou themust premises.obtain a specific licence. If you operate a germinal product collection centre you may apply to be designated.

Holdings with links to premises where positive cases have been confirmed also known as traced premises

An epidemiological investigation will be carried out. Restrictions appropriate to these specific circumstances will be put in place. If you need to move your animals onto and off these premises, whilst these restrictions are in place, you can apply for a specific licence.

You can also apply for a specific movement licence if there’s an urgent and genuine welfare need to move animals, including short distance moves out of the RZ.

If a welfare licence is approved, the animals will be placed under restriction. You may be asked by the APHA licensing team to organise a visit by your private vet, at your cost, to take samples from the animals after they have moved. The samples will currently be tested free of charge.

Premises where a disease investigation is being done into the possible presence of bluetongue

The keeper or occupier will be issued with a notice explaining the restrictions in place. A specific licence will be needed to move any bluetongue susceptible animal or germinal products produced from them on or off the premises.

Premises that have completed official bluetongue virus testing, and one or more polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or serology positive entire males or pregnant females are still present

Keepers will be issued with a multiple use licence (EXD595). Under this licence any animal may be moved on or off the premises, except the animals detailed in the prohibited list of the licence.

Apply

Approval forto amove specificunder licence

the Movement of Animals Restrictions Order

Allowzone at(RZ) leastalso 5imposed daysa forbluetongue yourInfected licenceArea applicationwhich applies to bethe processedsame wherezone possible.which Complexrestricts andthe high-riskmovement movementsof willanimals needon extraand timeoff topremises process.

Makeand contingencyin plansor toout allowof for the timeInfected itArea.  takesThe tolicence be EXD issued.612 Consider(E) what(GL) (PDF, steps187 youKB, will2 needpages), toprovides takelegal ifpermission thefor licencethose ismovements, refusedsubject orto cannotcomplying bewith issuedother inbluetongue time. 

Ifrestrictions aand licence isconditions.  issued,If ityou willcomply normallywith allowthe forbluetongue aregulations oneyou off movement. It will not be subjectcommitting toan certainoffence conditionsunder basedthe onInfected disease control risk.Area.

Designated slaughterhouses

Abattoirs that can slaughter animals from a bluetongue virus restricted premises under licence.

  • 2056 Linden Foods Burradon (NE23 7NB)
  • 2077 Foyle Melton Mowbray (LE14 3PR)
  • 2095 Hartshead Meats Ltd (OL5 0JL)
  • 2141 ABP York (YO19 5GH)
  • 2161 J A Jewitt (Meat) Ltd (DL16 7QD)
  • 2172 Foyle Gloucester (GL14 2PH)
  • 2241 Woolley Brothers (Wholesale Meats) Ltd (S20 3RW)
  • 2388 Dunbia Cumbria (LA12 0LT)
  • 2536 Pickstock Telford Ltd (TF1 7FA)
  • 2569 Severn Valley Lamb Ltd (WS6 6AY)
  • 4071 Dunbia Preston (PR5 6AJ)
  • 4073 ABP Ellesmere (SY12 9BL)
  • 4109 ABP Shrewsbury (SY1 4AH)
  • 4133 Farmers Fresh Ltd (CV8 1NN)
  • 4168 R B Elliott and Son Ltd (S44 5UN)
  • 4182 ABP Kingswinford (DY6 7JS)
  • 4471 Woodhead Bros, Colne (BB8 8LH)
  • 4486 Dunbia Sawley (BB7 4LH)
  • 5106 Dunbia Cardington (MK44 3SB)
  • 5116 Dovecote Park (Skellingthorpe) (LN6 5TX)
  • 5207 HG Blake (Costessey) Ltd (NR10 4DU)
  • 5280 Fowler Bros (Latchingdon) Ltd (CM0 8NA)
  • 5319 Romford Halal Meats Ltd (RM4 1TH)
  • 5513 Woodhead Bros, Spalding (PE11 3YY)
  • 6238 ABP Guildford (GU1 1RP)
  • 6326 J R Meats Ltd (CT3 3HN)
  • 7015 Dunbia Llanybydder (SA40 9QE)
  • 7132 Farmers Fresh Wales Ltd (LL13 0TS)
  • 7135 Pilgrims UK Lamb (SY18 6LX)
  • 7176 St Merryn Foods, Merthyr (CF48 2TA)
  • 8071 Dunbia West Devon (EX20 3HT)
  • 8073 St Merryn Foods (Bodmin) (Pl31 2QB)
  • 8207 ABP Sturminster (DT10 1HA)
  • 8216 ABP Yetminster (DT9 6HQ)
  • 8285 ABP Langport (TA10 9HG)

Always check with your usual outlet as other abattoirs may also be designated or in the process of applying for designation.

Updates to this page

Published 26 April 2024
Last updated 301 AugustSeptember 2024 + show all updates
  1. Added general licence EXD 612 and updated the page with latest information

  2. Added general licence EXD 603 (E) (GL) for movements of animals kept within a restricted zone (RZ), protection zone (PZ) or surveillance zone (SZ) to a designated slaughterhouse in England or Wales, for the purpose of immediate slaughter.

  3. Added general licence EXD601 for movements of animals kept within or outside a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) to a slaughterhouse located in a TCZ in England, for the purpose of immediate slaughter. Also updated general licence EXD602 as it now applies to Wales as well as England.

  4. Updated the landing page by adding links to pdf versions of general licences EXD602 (E), EXD610 (E) and EXD611 (E). Also made updates with further information as a result of recent bluetongue cases.

  5. Updated the landing page to reflect changes caused as a result of a recent bluetongue case.

  6. Added a new entry to the list of designated slaughterhouses

  7. Abattoir added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  8. Added J A Jewitt (Meat) Ltd (DL16 7QD) and ABP Kingswinford (DY6 7JS) to designated slaughterhouses.

  9. Added 2536 Pickstock Telford Ltd, 2569 Severn Valley Lamb Ltd and 8071 Dunbia West Devon to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  10. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  11. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  12. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  13. Abattoirs added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  14. Abattoir added to the list of designated slaughterhouses.

  15. First published.

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