From Monday, October 4, the registration of all cattle births, deaths and movements outside a keepers business in Scotland are required to be notified to the ScotEID databases, rather than the current Cattle Tracing System (CTS).

From this date, all cattle keepers in Scotland will use this system to register newborn animals, apply for cattle passports, notify business-to-business cattle moves and register deaths.

The data will be recorded under a new menu option called ScotMoves+ and the transfer will take place over the next to days.

ScotEID will also send this data to CTS in order to maintain a UK view of cattle data, which will enable that data to be used by others, e.g. the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) in the event of an animal disease outbreak. The goal is to speed up the traceability of animals to near real time, for disease prevention, eradication, control and the protection of public health, whilst maintaining domestic and international trade.

Reminding Scottish farmers, National Farmers’ Union (NFU) Scotland’s livestock policy manager Hannah Baker said: “Don’t forget that this weekend sees the change over from BCMS (CTSOnline) to ScotEID for the registration of all cattle movements, births and deaths.

“Over the weekend the system will be unavailable and from Monday, October 4, registrations should be made on the new ScotMoves+ system. Data will be transferred from BCMS to ScotEID over the weekend, but we advise keepers to check their records match once the transition has happened.

If you have previously been using ScotMoves on ScotEID then you will not need to do anything to use the new system, simply log in with your existing details and the ScotMoves+ option will be available.

“If you have not been using ScotMoves, then you should have received a passcode and instructions from ScotEID to register.”

Farmers are urged to contact ScotEID should they have any issues.