Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 November 2017
60. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the rules for the movement of animals to bed and breakfast accommodation; the protections in place for the owner of the animals if the new rules allow that the next movement of the animals is not automatically back to the original herd; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46953/17]
View answerThe bovine traceability system is operated in accordance with EU regulatory requirements whereby movements from holding to holding are recorded.
A bed and breakfast arrangement is where one farmer contracts another farmer to care for his animals on their farm e.g. overwintering the cattle.
The rules for all movements, including those that occur during bed and breakfast arrangements, are the same. Cattle can return to the source herd or be moved to another holding or to slaughter provided such movement satisfies the movement rules on the Animal Identification and Movement database (AIM).
From a bovine traceability perspective animals must be recorded properly in the location that they currently reside on the AIM database. It should be noted that my Department has no role in relation to the ownership of animals or any legal contract associated with the animals during a bed and breakfast arrangement. Such issues are commercial matters between the herd keeper and the operator of the bed and breakfast outlet.
In the Information Note for Applicants for a Herd Number for Cattle it clearly states that ownership of animals is not inferred by the granting of a herd number or the role of herd keeper.
