Response to the Consultation on the simplification of livestock movement rules and holding identifiers in England

The authors are scientists working on the epidemiology of livestock diseases such as foot and mouth disease and bovine tuberculosis. The authors are also part of Governance of Livestock Disease project, funded by the Rural Economy and Land-Use (RELU) programme, and are responding on behalf of the project. Livestock movement data, provided latterly via RADAR, have proved very valuable in enhancing our understanding of the spread of infectious diseases through the UK cattle and sheep herds, and have helped in the formation of evidence-based policy. It is our view that the epidemiological relevance of movement data should be considered in revising the livestock movement and holding identification rules. We are grateful to John Bell for his interesting and informative seminar (16 June 2010) on the consultation proposals. A review of livestock movement rules and holding identifiers in England is to be welcomed. As academic researchers who use the data, and are studying the governance of livestock disease, this system is core to our interests. Ensuring cattle movement recording is simplified and records systematized is a positive step, but such a step needs to be viewed as a means of achieving the objectives of livestock disease governance. We have addressed specific questions below, but have not responded to those questions that are outside of our expertise and knowledge.