Article 46 Derogations from the requirements laid down in Article 45 as regards the means and methods of identification of kept ovine and caprine animals, their application and use

By way of derogation from the requirement laid down in Article 45(2)(a), operators keeping ovine and caprine animals belonging to a population of animals that are born with ears that are too small to attach a conventional ear tag as listed in point (a) of Annex III, shall ensure that such animals are individually identified by a conventional pastern band as listed in point (b) of that Annex with a visible, legible and indelible display of the identification code of the animal.

By way of derogation from the requirement laid down in Article 45(2)(a), operators keeping ovine and caprine animals not intended to be moved to another Member State may replace the a conventional ear tag as listed in point (a) of Annex III by a tattoo listed in point (g) of that Annex with a visible, legible and indelible display of the identification code of the animal provided that the competent authority has authorised the use of a ruminal bolus as listed in point (d) of that Annex.

By way of derogation from Article 45(2)(b), operators keeping ovine and caprine animals not intended to be moved to another Member State and the operators keeping ovine or caprine animals exempted from the application of an electronic identifier in accordance with Article 48, may replace the electronic identifier by a tattoo as listed in point (g) of Annex III with visible, legible and indelible display of the identification code of the animal.

By way of derogation from Article 45(2), operators keeping ovine and caprine animals intended to be transported to the slaughterhouse either after undergoing an assembly operation or after undergoing a fattening operation in another establishment may identify each animal at least by an electronic ear tag as listed in point (c) of Annex III attached to an ear flap of the animal with visible, legible and indelible display of the unique registration number of the establishment of birth of animal and with legible and indelible display of the identification code of that animal provided that those animals:

1. (a)

   are not intended to be moved to another Member State;

and

1. (b)

   are slaughtered before the age of 12 months.