Animal health and welfare

Pigs

If you intend to keep pigs including as pets you must:

  1. Register with your local Rural Payment and Inspections Directorate (RPID) office who will allocate a County Parish Holding (CPH) number if you have not already got one
  1. You must inform your local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), who will provide you with a herd mark for your holding. This herd mark will enable you to buy ear tags

Feeding pigs

It is illegal to feed any pig any catering waste. This is defined as all waste food including cooking oil originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens and household kitchens.  

Identification and traceability

Pig identification and traceability are a vital part of animal disease control in Scotland.  In the event of a disease outbreak, it is important that all animals can be identified and movements traced quickly and efficiently to prevent the spread of the disease. The Scottish Government provides guidance on pig traceability.

All pig keepers must comply with current animal identification, notification of movement and record keeping requirements. The number of pigs on the holding must also be recorded in the holding register.

Moving pigs

All movements of pigs must be reported either prior to the move or on the day the pigs move to ScotEID the body responsible for maintaining the national database. The pig keeper at the destination must then confirm the arrival of the pigs to ScotEID within 3 days.

Standstill period

When pigs arrive on your holding, your holding will be under a movement standstill, so other livestock may not be moved off your holding for a specific period.  Pigs moving onto your holding will trigger a 20 day standstill period on the movement of other pigs and a 13 day standstill period for cattle, sheep or goats. Moving cattle, sheep or goats onto your holding will trigger a 13 day standstill period on any pigs moving off your holding.

There are exemptions if you have a separation agreement in place, for more details on this you should contact your local Rural Payments and Inspections Division office.

See our guidance on: