Muir urges camelid and cervid keepers to act as new rules are introduced
New identification, registration and record-keeping rules are being introduced in Northern Ireland
New identification, registration and record-keeping rules are being introduced in Northern Ireland for the keeping of camelid and cervid animals, including alpacas, llamas and deer.
The new requirements, which will strengthen animal traceability and disease protection will apply to all camelid and cervid keepers, including those keeping only small numbers of animals.
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said: “Effective traceability is essential to protect animal health and welfare in Northern Ireland. These new measures will help prevent and manage disease outbreaks, while ensuring keepers have clear and consistent rules to follow.
“Registration is simple and free, and I strongly encourage all camelid and cervid keepers to act now and complete registration well ahead of the deadline.”
Under the new rules, everyone keeping camelids and cervids must:
- register their establishments with DAERA;
- identify animals using DAERA‑approved devices within nine months of birth or before they leave the holding of birth; and
- keep records for at least three years.
As the requirements are entirely new for camelid and cervid keepers, they are being introduced on a phased basis. All keepers must be registered by 30 September 2026 and start keeping records from this date, with animal identification requirements becoming mandatory from 4 January 2027.
The new measures are required under the European Union Animal Health Law (AHL) and apply in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework.
DAERA officials have worked with industry stakeholders, including representative groups and societies and local camelid and cervid businesses, to support implementation. A communication campaign is being rolled out to raise awareness of the obligations and key deadlines.
Full information on how to register, the records that should be kept and the forms of identification to be used is available on the DAERA website at: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/identification-registration-and-movement-camelids-and-cervids.
