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Food Safety

Camelid and cervid animals

The impact of transmissible animal diseases and the measures necessary to control those diseases can be very severe for individual animals, animal populations, animal keepers and the economy. Preventing and controlling animal diseases which are transmissible to animals or to humans is an important issue for operators and competent authorities.

In case of a disease outbreak it is crucial to know where the animals kept in the outbreak-establishment came from and also where animals from this establishment went to in the time period when transmission of the disease was likely to take place. Traceability of each animal can be achieved by ensuring correct identification and exchange of information as well as record keeping in establishments.

Operators keeping camelid and cervid animals have to ensure (see Article 73 of Regulation (EU) 2019/2035) that the animals are individually identified by means of a conventional ear tag attached to each ear flap of the animal with a visible, legible and indelible display of the identification code or an injectable transponder. Cervids may also be identified with a tattoo.

The identification has to be applied within 9 months from birth or when the animals leaves the establishment of birth (see Article 16 of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/520).