From 2 October 2023, cattle keepers can apply for a general licence, known as licence TB16e, to allow the movement of cattle from TB restricted holdings (including Approved Finishing Units (AFUs)), either directly, or through an ‘orange market’ in England and Wales to:
- an AFU (Approved Finishing Unit) or AFUE (Approved Finishing Unit – enhanced with grazing).
- a licenced slaughterhouse.
The general licence (TB16e) will be valid for the time between short-interval tests. Following each short-interval test, cattle keepers will need to apply for a new licence.
You can copy the original licence each time you want to consign cattle as many times as necessary during the validity of the licence.
For clarification, farmers must apply for a general licence on the usual form TB204 (must use latest version 10/23).
The keeper is required to complete the premises of origin section; however, the premises of destination and individual ear tag sections are not required to be completed at the time of application as these may not be known to the keeper.
“Getting stakeholders out on farm to bring issues to life has resulted in practical policy solutions that will make a real difference to industry and ease the management of TB restricted calves.”
NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw
If you are not eligible for a TB16e movement licence then ear tag numbers, date of birth and the date the animal was TB tested will be required.
It is hoped that the new system will help to streamline the process of moving cattle whilst under restrictions, allowing greater flexibility and reducing the amount of administration required by farmers and the APHA, whilst maintaining traceability and disease control.
Under current rules, the time needed to complete this process often made it difficult for cattle keepers to meet the demands of cattle purchasers.
The licence, including detailed conditions will be published on GOV.UK, GOV.WALES and the TB Hub will be updated. APHA will also be writing to directly to market operators of TB dedicated sales in England and Wales to inform them of the changes.
More information on the new movement licence, including in depth FAQ guidance, can be found at: TB Hub | TB16e General Licence
NFU welcomes announcement
Welcoming the news, NFU Deputy President Tom Bradshaw described the announcement as “common sense”, with the new arrangements removing “unnecessary red tape” from the current process for all parties.
This was echoed by NFU Dairy Board chair Michael Oakes, who said that the current arrangement “puts additional strain on farm”. He added: “This policy change is particularly welcome as it will help provide greater flexibility to producers when trading restricted cattle into orange markets or TB licensed units.”
A meaningful policy change
The new general licence (TB16e) was advocated for by the Bovine TB sub-group, a collaboration between the NFU, Defra, APHA, AHDB, the Welsh government and representatives from the dairy and beef supply chains.
The sub-group, which was formed to identify solutions to increase access for TB restricted cattle as part of the GB Calf Strategy 2020-23, remains committed to advocating the need for further enhancements to these supply chains.
Speaking on the work of the sub-group, Tom said: “This marks a great start for GB Calf Week and reflects the benefits of working in partnership across England and Wales which has been achieved within the Bovine TB sub-group.
“Getting stakeholders out on farm to bring issues to life has resulted in practical policy solutions that will make a real difference to industry and ease the management of TB restricted calves.”
Announcement on the eve of GB Calf Week
The announcement came just before the launch of GB Calf Week 2023, which launched at UK Dairy Day on 12 September in Telford.
With one of the main focus areas of the week being on genetics and TB, a panel discussion took place on the launch day on the topics of dairy-beef calf genetics and the movement of calves from TB restricted units.
You can hear Tom Bradshaw and Michael Oakes discussing the outcomes of the Bovine TB sub-group in Episode 409 of AHDB's Food and Farming podcast, released on 13 September 2023. Listen at: AHDB Food and Farming | Talking Bovine TB and GB Dairy Calf Strategy
