If you've been keeping cattle in the UK for any length of time, you'll know the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) inside out. It's been the backbone of cattle traceability since the BSE crisis in the 1990s.
But change is coming. The Livestock Information Service (LIS) is set to replace BCMS, though the timetable has now shifted. Here's what you need to know.
Update, July 2026: The switch has moved to mid-2027. Defra told stakeholders in a June 2026 letter, first reported by Farmers Weekly, that the new system and bovine EID for calves will now arrive together in mid-2027. Livestock Information Ltd's official guidance now reflects this: "Farmers will be moved onto the new system in mid-2027 alongside the introduction of Bovine EID," and keepers "don't need to do anything just yet." We've corrected the dates below.
What is LIS?
The Livestock Information Service is a new digital system being developed as part of Defra's Livestock Information Transformation Programme (LITP). It's designed to replace existing species-specific traceability systems across England with a modern, multispecies platform.
According to Livestock Information Ltd, the key goals are straightforward:
- Faster disease response - In an outbreak, better movement data allows a more rapid and effective response
- Near real-time data - Movement figures available as they happen, not weeks later
- One multispecies system - Consolidating three species-specific traceability platforms into a single service
- Built for integration - A Developer Hub so farm software can connect directly
Key Dates for Your Diary
On 2nd June 2025, the government formally announced Defra's plans to introduce changes to cattle identification, registration and movement reporting, and in June 2026 the timeline was revised. Here's where it now stands:
December 2025 - Private Beta
A small invited group of cattle keepers was due to begin testing the new LIS system. This stage is invitation-only and designed to iron out any issues before wider release.
2026 - Testing Continues, Nothing to Do
The original plan was a public beta in spring 2026 and a full rollout by that summer. With the revised timeline, testing continues and Livestock Information Ltd's guidance is clear: "You don't need to do anything just yet, we'll let you know how and when to register to use the new service." Carry on reporting through BCMS as you do now, and sign up to the LIS newsletter if you want updates as they come.
Mid-2027 - Full Rollout
This is the big one, and it has moved. According to a Defra letter to stakeholders reported by Farmers Weekly in June 2026, farmers will be moved onto the new system in mid-2027 to meet what the letter called "EU reset priorities" on livestock traceability. Livestock Information Ltd confirms the date: LIS for Cattle will replace the current Cattle Tracing System (CTS) and become the official government system for recording cattle births, movements and deaths in England.
2027 - BEID for Newborn Calves
Bovine Electronic Identification (BEID) will be introduced for newborn calves in England using low frequency (LF) technology, arriving alongside the new digital system rather than as a separate later step. The compulsory date is "a set date in 2027" that hasn't been fixed yet, and the government has promised at least 12 months' notice before compulsory use, so you won't be caught out.
What's Actually Changing?
Let's break down the practical differences you'll notice:
Movement Reporting
Until the switch, BCMS and the Cattle Tracing System carry on exactly as now. From mid-2027, LIS becomes the official system for registering births, reporting movements and recording deaths in England, digital-first and designed to be available around the clock rather than tied to helpline hours.
Electronic Identification
The move to BEID is significant. According to the government announcement, there is no requirement to retag the existing national herd. Calves born once the 2027 requirement lands will need electronic tags. These work like the EID tags many sheep farmers already use, though note that England is LF-only: UHF will not be an official form of cattle identification in England.
During the transition period, animal movements will be able to be reported using either EID reads, barcode scans from passports, or visual reading of tags as is currently done.
The benefits are clear: faster reading at markets, more accurate records, and less manual data entry. But there will be a cost for the new tags and potentially readers.
Paper Passports
Don't expect paper passports to vanish. Defra intends to explore phasing them out with the devolved governments, but removal won't even be considered until the majority of English cattle carry BEID tags. Passports remain valid throughout the transition.
Digital Integration
LIS is being built with modern software integration in mind, and this part is already under way: LIS for Cattle began its integration stage with industry software providers in 2026. The Developer Hub shows that farm management software (like Agrianta) will be able to connect directly, and Livestock Information Ltd's advice is that "if you report movements using farm management software, you will need to speak to your software provider", making compliance reporting through connected software much more automatic.
What You Need to Do Now
Officially, nothing yet, and that comes straight from Livestock Information Ltd. But here's a sensible checklist while you wait:
- Keep your CPH details current - Make sure your County Parish Holding numbers are up to date with APHA. BCMS is running a data cleanse ahead of the move, so tidy records now migrate cleanly later
- Check your broadband - LIS is digital-first, so reliable internet matters more than ever
- Review your tag stock - Consider electronic tags for any purchases once they become available
- Watch for updates - Visit livestockinformation.org.uk for the latest news
- Consider your software - Farm management systems that integrate with LIS will save you significant time
Common Questions
Will I need new equipment?
No. Livestock Information Ltd is explicit that keepers won't have to buy an EID reader; markets and abattoirs will handle electronic reading. Many farmers will still find a reader useful, and plenty already have one for sheep.
What happens to my existing records in BCMS?
BCMS is currently running a data cleanse ahead of moving the Cattle Tracing System onto LIS, and existing records are expected to transfer. Keeping your details up to date now is the best way to make sure your herd's history migrates cleanly.
Is this just an England thing?
Largely, yes. LIS for Cattle will be the official system for England. Wales is moving cattle records from BCMS to EIDCymru, the system Welsh keepers already use for sheep, goats and deer; that move is planned for winter 2026, and the Welsh Government's advice in the meantime is "for now, nothing changes", so don't register cattle on EIDCymru yet. Scotland is going its own way with UHF tags (unlike England's LF), and ministers there have pushed compulsory cattle EID back to January 2028. Northern Ireland has its own system (APHIS) which operates separately.
What if I don't have good internet?
According to Livestock Information Ltd's support pages, if you cannot use technology to report cattle movements, there will be help and support available to make sure you can report in other ways.
The Bottom Line
Change can feel like hassle, especially when the current system works well enough. But LIS does promise genuine improvements: faster disease tracing protects everyone's herds, and a modern digital system means less time on paperwork.
The key is not to leave it until the last minute. Mid-2027 will come around quickly, and farmers who've kept their records tidy and their software ready will find the switch much smoother.
We'll keep updating this article as new information becomes available. If you're using Agrianta, we're building LIS integration into the platform so your compliance reporting stays simple.
LIS is only one part of the wider record-keeping picture. For the full set of records a UK cattle keeper has to maintain, from passports and movements to medicines and fallen stock, see our guide to livestock record keeping in the UK.
Sources
- Recording movements for cattle - Livestock Information Ltd (official guidance, confirms the mid-2027 timeline)
- LIS Cattle Support - Livestock Information Ltd
- Electronic ID for cattle mandatory in step forward for UK biosecurity - GOV.UK, 2 June 2025 (the original announcement)
- Government announcement on cattle identification changes - Livestock Information Ltd, June 2025 (original timeline; superseded on dates)
- Livestock Information Transformation Programme - GOV.UK
- Planned move from BCMS to EIDCymru - Welsh Government
- Defra delays cattle traceability overhaul to 2027 - Farmers Weekly, 8 June 2026 (press report of the Defra stakeholder letter)
Have any questions? Drop us a line at hello@agrianta.com and we'll do our best to help.