When using land temporarily for the keeping of livestock, the paperwork requirements for movements can be highly complex. Several factors must be considered, such as the need to report or record a move, determine if a movement licence or TB test is necessary, and understand when to notify the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS). Additionally, standstill restrictions must also be taken into account.
If the land you use is not part of your permanent County Parish Holding (CPH) and you haven’t set up a Temporary Land Association (TLA) or a Temporary County Parish Holding number (tCPH), certain regulations must be followed.
- You must use the landholder’s CPH, or set up a tCPH or TLA, to report and/or record any movements between land that has a different CPH number (even if the livestock are only moving next door).
- If using the landholder’s permanent CPH to report movements, the landholder MUST keep their holding register updated and keep a copy of the movement licences (where licences are applicable) .
- For cattle, you must only move them to a different CPH if it is within 60 days of a clear whole herd test or following a clear pre-movement test.
What is a TLA?
A TLA (Temporary Land Association) allows you to link temporary land to your own land if it is within 10 miles (as the crow flies) of your main CPH.
It removes the need for reporting movements via a movement licence for sheep, or to the BCMS for cattle, because the land used on a temporary basis is linked to your land for the time specified (this can be up to a maximum of 12 months).
What land is eligible & what does it involve?
- If you use any additional land on a temporary basis and it is within 10 miles (as the crow flies) of your permanent CPH, you can apply for a TLA licence.
- If you are the only person to have livestock on the land you can then apply to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) for a TLA.
- You must hold a permanent CPH for the TLA to be accepted.
- You must be registered with the APHA as a livestock keeper before you can apply for the TLA licence.
- You must be the sole occupier of the land you are linking; for example, your cattle will not be able to mix with the landowner’s own stock while you have the TLA set up.
- The landholder will not be required to record movements in their holding register(s), and you will not need to report or record moves to the land under the TLA in your own records.
- Movements to that land from a different CPH, however, would need to be reported against your permanent CPH .
- Moves reported to a CPH will trigger a standstill on all the land the TLA covers including any land associated with it.
- You will not be required to carry out any pre-movement or post-movement TB tests on cattle before moving them to the land covered under the TLA.
- Please note that if your CPH is registered for keeping bovine animals (cattle, buffalo or bison) a TLA licence will only be permitted if the land is in the same bovine TB risk area.
- All land covered by a single CPH will be treated as part of that CPH from a disease testing and restriction perspective.
- TLAs will last for a maximum of 12 months, with an option to renew.
What is a tCPH and what does it involve?
A tCPH (temporary County Parish Holding) number can be set up to cover land used on a temporary basis, where you do not want to use or cannot use the landholder’s permanent CPH for reporting and recording movements. By setting up a tCPH, the landholder does not have to keep records of moves to that land, as the land will temporarily not be part of their main CPH number.
A tCPH:
- May be allocated regardless of the distance between it and any other CPHs that you hold, providing that livestock on the different holdings do not mix .
- Will last up to a year (with an option to renew) during which time the same statutory livestock movement recording, reporting and standstill requirements would apply as to a permanent holding.
- A tCPH may be allocated regardless of the distance between it and any other CPHs that you hold providing that adequate separation of livestock between them is maintained. The land (or at least part of each individual land parcel) must be within ten miles of the nominated Primary Map Reference of the tCPH (measured as the crow flies). Land further than 10 miles may be included if it is contiguous to other land included in the tCPH.
Please note: You may be allocated a 7000 series landless keeper CPH number by the Rural Payments Agency for your permanent registration if you do not own the land where you keep livestock. If so, you must also get a TLA or tCPH; the APHA will be unable to issue a herd or flock mark without an active TLA or tCPH in place.
In summary:
- A separate holding register has to be kept for a tCPH.
- All livestock movements on and off land covered by a tCPH number, including movements between a tCPH and any other CPHs you hold, must be recorded and reported.
- All livestock movements on or off a tCPH would trigger standstill on the receiving holding, including movements to/from your permanent CPHs.
- Livestock on a tCPH must be kept separate from those of any other keeper and from any other CPHs that you hold. For most disease testing/restrictions the land included in a tCPH will be treated by default (subject to APHA veterinary risk assessment) as part of that tCPH and not your permanent holding or that of the person you are renting the land from
Applying for a TLA or tCPH
Use this form to apply for a new temporary land association (TLA) or temporary county parish holding (tCPH) if your main holding is in England. If your main holding is in Wales, log into Rural Payments Wales (RPW) Online
If you need any further advice, or would like help to apply, please contact our Agricultural Compliance team on 01981 590514.