AS the row over passport issues with certain Limousin cattle rumbles on, BCMS has issued the following guidance for those producers effected;

Background briefing:

• Once a passport has been withdrawn from an animal, it is only possible for it to be moved under a licence issued by BCMS for disposal through an approved knackers yard or an approved hunt kennel. Cattle from which passports have been withdrawn cannot be slaughtered for human consumption.

• In the case of a bovine having had its passport withdrawn and being issued with a Notice of Registration form (CPP35) instead, the keeper may still breed from the animal in question.

• Calves born to animals issued with a CPP 35 must be registered with BCMS in the normal way.

• Calves will be issued with a passport providing they are registered within 27 days of birth and providing the correct details are provided in the passport application, especially those relating to ID number for the calf’s dam and the calf’s date of birth.

• Providing the progeny are registered with BCMS in accordance with the conditions above they will be issued with passports

• All correctly identified animals accompanied by their valid passports may be slaughtered for human consumption, providing no restrictions are placed upon them for reasons relating to, for example, disease or veterinary medicinal product standstill periods.