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This page details specific guidance that livestock keepers should adhere to when moving animals out of bluetongue restricted zones, including extended easing of pre-movement testing and the validity periods for pre-movement testing samples.

From 1 July 2025, the RZ (restricted zone) was extended to cover all of England. Keepers can move cattle, sheep, all ruminants and camelids within England without a bluetongue licence or testing.

The RZ has been extended following recognition between industry and scientists that 鈥榯he area of England where disease has been found is now too large for movement restrictions to remain an effective and proportionate way of controlling the disease鈥�. Read:

NFU Livestock Board Chair David Barton said: 鈥淲ith a growing number of confirmed cases of Bluetongue, we are pleased that our calls for the restricted zone to be extended to the whole of England will come into force from 1 July.
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鈥淎lthough we recognise that this will cause further disruption to trade, particularly for breeding animals, which will now require a pre-movement test before being moved into the free area, we feel that a more proportionate response is now appropriate. We will continue to work with our Welsh and Scottish colleagues to minimise any disruption to trade within GB.听
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鈥溁始一�人continues to advocate for vaccination and encourages farmers to speak with their vets as part of disease management planning.鈥�
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Key dates

Vaccinating your herd

If you haven鈥檛 yet vaccinated your livestock, you should speak to your private vet to determine if BTV3 vaccination is right for your animals. 听This is particularly important if you are not currently in the RZ.听

Vaccination remains the most effective long-term approach for disease controls.听

If you keep animals in England and routinely move animals into Wales or Scotland you need to check for updates at and . on what licences you will need and whether or not you will need to organise and pay for a pre-movement test.

Read: BTV3 vaccination update and usage reminder

皇家华人will be hosting a national webinar to brief members on what the restrictions mean in practice. Details will be available soon.

Pre-movement testing exemptions

Easing of pre-movement testing has been in place since 26 March. These exemptions have been extended to 30听June, although they will remain under review.

Within this timeframe, testing of non-breeding animals over the age of 60 days before being moved out of the restricted zone, is not required.

The government has also changed the length of time that pre-movement test samples are valid for, from 21 days to 10 days. This came into effect on 27 May 2025.

It is advisable to time your sampling so that the samples are still valid on the planned move date. states that, samples taken:

• until 11:59pm on 26 May 2025 are valid for 21 days
• on or after 27 May 2025 are valid for 10 days

Pre-movement testing is only applicable to:

• entire males intended for breeding
• females that are pregnant or have unknown pregnancy status
• youngstock if they are aged 60 days or younger at the time of the movement, unless they are travelling at foot with the maternal dam 鈥� in this case, you can test the maternal dam by PCR and ELISA.

More detail is available at:

Movements out of restricted zones

Specific movement licences are still required for animals moving out of the RZ (restricted zone). Farmers are urged to only move animals within the RZ where this is absolutely necessary. Any movement carries risk of disease spread.

Movement restrictions apply to:

• all ruminants and camelids moving out of the zone and,
• to the movement of their germinal products within the zone.

Moving to market

Animals may be moved into a market within the zone, but on leaving the market cannot be moved to premises out of the zone.

Moves to markets outside the zones are not currently allowed, except to approved 鈥榬ed鈥� (slaughter) markets.

If you would like to move and sell animals originating from bluetongue restricted zones through slaughter market outside the zone you must:

• Ensure the market is approved. Currently approved slaughter markets can be found at: .
• Comply with the condition of general licence EXD627(E) for movements to an approved market
• Follow conditions of the general licence EXD628 (E) for movements from approved slaughter markets to the abattoir for immediate slaughter.

General licences

Animals within the TCZ, RZ or outside of the zones (FA) are allowed to move under general licence to other premises within the restricted zone. This includes to abattoirs within the RZ.

Animals can also move to live either within the same TCZ or from FA to TCZ under these general licences:

General licences do not apply if your premises is under a bluetongue restriction notice. If you have been served a bluetongue premises or individual animal restriction notice and wish to move animals, you must apply for a specific licence.

The general licence for using the inactivated BTV-3 vaccine in England can be found at: .

For more information on general licences, visit:

Specific movement licences

Specific licences exempt you from disease control movement restrictions in England, Scotland and Wales. This covers any movement or activity within any current disease control zones that are not covered by a general licence.

When you might need a specific licence:

• If you need to move animals to live on premises outside of the RZ
• If you need to move germinal products from susceptible animals out of the zone, or you wish to freeze germinal products in the zone.

Applying for a specific licence:

If you need to move livestock from your holding, you should apply for a specific licence online using the licensing portal on GOV.UK. Visit: .

Specific licences for farmers within an RZ and with tracings are available via the licensing portal.

Find out more about bluetongue movement licences at: .

For help completing an application, or if you are unable to access the service and need to request an EXD100 form, contact APHA:听听

Phone: 03000 200 301
Email: [email protected]

Each movement licence is subject to its own risk assessment, meaning it can take up to five days for a licence to be granted.

Temporary land association and temporary county parish holding

When applying for a specific licence, it is important that the correct TLA and tCPH is in place.

For more information, visit: BTV 鈥� preparing for bluetongue on farm | Temporary land associations