Defra style guide
Defra-specific terms and how to use them in content. Use this alongside the GDS style guide A to Z, which covers everything else.
If a term is not listed here, or you think a term is listed incorrectly, you can submit a change request.
A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · K · L · M · N · O · P · R · S · T · U · W · X
A
agent
A person or company paid to act on behalf of a keeper. Do not confuse with 'delegate'.
agrifood
No hyphen.
Agrifood includes agriculture, horticulture, and food and drink processing technologies.
Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
Capitalise the Animal and Plant Health Agency. After first use, you can shorten to APHA.
animal by-products (ABPs)
Hyphenate. After first use, you can shorten to ABPs. Do not use 'animal byproducts'.
animal health officer (AHO)
Write out in full, and always in lower case or sentence case. Use AHO after first mention.
approved ear tag suppliers
'Approved' is the preferred term, as RPA approves ear tag suppliers to issue tags and other identifiers to keepers. Do not use 'official ear tag suppliers'.
Also see 'tags' for related terms.
B
backyard keepers
Use 'small flock keepers' or 'keepers of a small number of livestock' instead.
barcode labels
Preferred term for electronic identification of cattle. Do not use 'holding address labels'.
Cattle keepers are sent barcode labels when they register with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS). They stick them in passports when recording movements and reporting deaths.
bird flu v avian influenza
For the general public, use bird flu (avian influenza) on the first mention, and then use bird flu.
For vets or a more specialist audience, use avian influenza (bird flu) on the first mention, then use avian influenza.
bovine
Do not use bovine to refer to cattle, bison and buffalo (you should write these out in full) as keepers are unlikely to use this language. Only use bovine when referring to specific animal diseases such as bovine viral diarrhoea (BVD).
British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS)
Name of an organisation, so use title case. Use BCMS after first mention.
business
In the context of farms, default to business instead of organisation. Farmers see their farms as businesses.
C
Cattle Tracing System Online (CTS Online)
Use title case. Write out in full on the first mention. Can be called CTS Online after first instance.
cattle, bison and buffalo
Write out list in full. Do not use 'bovine animals'.
central point recording centre (CPRC)
Lower case. Use CPRC after first mention.
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas)
Capitalise. After first mention, you can shorten to sentence case Cefas. Do not use 'the Cefas'.
certificate of registration
Do not use 'certificate of CTS registration'.
common land
Lower case. Use 'common land,' not 'Common Land'.
company registration number
Do not capitalise. Also, do not use 'Companies House' registration number.
compatible farm software
Use instead of 'compatible farming software'.
county parish holding number (CPH number)
Use sentence case. You can refer to it as a CPH number after the first instance.
crime reference number
Lower case. Use 'crime reference number,' not 'Crime Reference Number'.
D
Defra
Use sentence case. Do not capitalise.
disease control zone
Use to talk about disease zones more generally, if not referring to a specific zone. For example, 'If you're in a disease control zone, you cannot…'.
disease control zone abbreviations
Never abbreviate control zone terms. For example, DCZ, RZ, PZ, SZ, TCZ should always be spelt out in full:
RZ – restricted zone
PZ - protected zone
SZ - surveillance zone
TCZ – temporary control zone
E
Environment Agency
Always write out in full. Never shorten to EA. Can use with 'the' where appropriate, for example, 'Work being carried out by the Environment Agency is...'.
export
Do not use export for animals or goods moving within Great Britain or from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Use moving, not export.
F
fallen stock
Use instead of 'carcass' or 'dead livestock' when writing for livestock keepers.
fallen stock collection company
Do not use 'carcass collection company'.
field officers
Do not use 'inspectors'.
field visit
Do not use 'inspection'.
first tag (sheep and goats)
Use first tag only for sheep and goats.
flash flooding
Lower case.
flock mark
Use only for sheep. Do not use for other animals. (See 'herd mark' for the equivalent for cattle)
They're used on tags (and other identifiers, such as tattoos) to identify where animals were born or last tagged. This is so the animals can be traced to help prevent and contain the spread of disease.
flood alert
Lower case. Do not just use 'alert'.
flood risk assessment
Lower case.
flood risk rating
Lower case.
flood warning
Lower case. Do not just use 'warning'.
flood zone
Lower case. Relates to floods.
See Flood zones and what they mean.
Floodline
Always sentence case, never hyperlink it.
Floodline telephone number
Telephone: 0345 988 1188
In text messages 'call Floodline 0345 988 1188'.
food chain information (FCI)
Use FCI after first mention.
It's a legal requirement to give this information about an animal before it enters the food chain.
forecast
Lower case. Relates to floods. For example, 'The flood forecast for the next 5 days...'.
Forestry Commission
Always write out in full. Never shorten to FC. Can use with 'the' where appropriate, for example, '...where the Forestry Commission will be available to offer advice on woodland creation'.
G
gamebird
One word.
genetic dam
Do not use 'dam' or 'birth dam'.
It's the biological female parent (mother) of an animal. It's distinct from the birth mother in embryo transfer, as the genetic dam provides the ovum or embryo, while the recipient dam carries it.
groundwater
Lower case, one word.
H
herd mark
Use for cattle. Do not use for other animals. (See 'flock mark' for the equivalent for sheep)
holding
Use this term to describe the land and buildings used to keep livestock. Avoid 'farm' or 'business'.
holding register
Do not use 'herd register,' 'farm records,' or 'farm book'.
House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
Use title case. Spell it out in full the first time, then use 'HMO'.
I
import
Do not use import for animals or goods moving within Great Britain or from Northern Ireland to Great Britain. Use moving, not import.
K
keeper
Use in the context of keeping livestock, for example 'the keeper of the sheep must...'. Do not use 'operator'.
L
lame and lameness
Familiar language with livestock keepers and vets; broad 'catch all' for symptoms such as limping, lying down, walking slower. We do not use this term for people.
landowner
One word. Do not use 'land owner' or 'landholder'.
livestock
Do not use 'farm animals'.
Livestock Information Service (LIS)
Use LIS after first mention.
Local Planning Authority (LPA)
Title case, spell out in full the first time, then use the acronym.
M
MAGIC map
All upper case for 'MAGIC' and lower case for 'map'. Do not use 'Magic maps', 'mapping tool' or 'MAGIC map application'. MAGIC is an acronym.
Refers to the mapping tool that Defra uses in content.
management tag
A keeper may put this on an animal in addition to an official ear tag. Use only to distinguish from official ear tag.
mathematical symbols
Avoid using mathematical symbols within sentences. For example, use:
'less than' rather than '<'
'more than' rather than '>'
Follow other maths content guidance in the GOV.UK style guide.
micropig
One word. Do not use 'micro pig'.
movement document
Do not use 'haulier summary' or 'licence'.
A printed document that moves with an animal and has to be given to the person receiving them.
movement off
Do not use 'sending' or 'notifications'.
movement on
Do not use 'receiving' or 'reports'.
N
National Grid field number
A 4-digit code used to identify a specific, small field parcel.
Do not confuse with Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference, which locates a point on a map using 2 letters and between 4 and 12 digits.
Always check with the subject matter expert which type of number is relevant to the specific content, and be consistent in using it.
national park
Lower case, unless you're using the name of the park. For example, Dartmoor National Park.
Natural England
Always write out in full. Never shorten to NE.
net zero
Lower case, for example, 'reaching net zero', except in the full name of government strategies, 'the Net Zero Strategy'
O
official ear tag number
Use this to describe the unique 12-digit number used to identify cattle. Do not use 'ear tag,' 'identifier,' or 'tag'. Do not use for animals other than cattle.
official identification number
Use this to refer to the 6-digit number that is part of the official (12-digit) ear tag number.
Ordnance Survey (OS) grid reference
Locates a point on a map using 2 letters and between 4 and 12 digits.
Do not confuse with National Grid field number, which is a 4-digit code used to identify a specific, small field parcel.
Always check with the subject matter expert which type of number is relevant to the specific content, and be consistent in using it.
other keeper
Do not use 'originating keeper' or 'counterparty'.
Use to refer to the other person involved in reporting a movement of livestock in the Livestock Information Service.
P
pastern band
Do not use variants like 'pastern tag' or 'leg band'.
A band put on a sheep or goat's leg to identify it.
people
Use 'people' wherever possible. Avoid 'users'.
primary ear tag (cattle)
Do not use 'yellow flag tag' except in brackets.
R
record a movement
Refers to recording a movement of animals. Use only for holding register requirements.
We use 'reporting a movement' when someone is submitting information online to us.
register a birth (cattle)
Do not use 'register animal,' 'apply for passport,' or 'CPP12'.
replacement tag (cattle)
Do not use 'retagging'.
report a movement
Use only when referencing the legal requirement to report movements, births and deaths to the government. This is so that animals can be traced, to prevent and control disease.
report movements online
Do not use 'report movements electronically'.
restricted zone
Use restricted zone. Do not use 'restriction zone'.
In the context of animal disease.
Rural Payments Agency (RPA)
Capitalise RPA. Use 'the RPA' after first mention. For example, 'contact the Rural Payments Agency' or 'contact the RPA'.
Rural Payments service
Upper case Rural Payments, lower case service.
The Rural Payments service is an online service that pays farmers. Not to be confused with the Rural Payments Agency.
S
same-day movement
Hyphenate. Do not use 'same day movement'.
severe flood warning
Lower case. Do not just use 'severe warning'.
single business identifier (SBI)
Sentence case (lower case, except if starting a sentence).
A main single business identifier (SBI) is a unique 9-digit number given to a farmer or business that is involved in an agricultural activity
site visits
Do not use 'inspections'.
slap mark
Use only for pig shoulder tattoos.
slaughterhouse
Do not use 'abattoir'.
slaughterhouse operator
Do not use 'abattoir operator'.
surface water
Lower case.
T
tag or tagging
Use only for cattle, sheep and goats. For pigs, only use 'tag' for ear tags.
tags (sheep and goats)
Do not use 'identifier'.
temporary county parish holding (tCPH) number
Use tCPH after first mention.
temporary land association (TLA)
Use TLA after first mention.
trace
Do not use 'track'.
In the context of tracing animal diseases.
U
unrestricted area
A succinct way to refer to land that is not in any disease restriction zone. Do not use 'out of a restricted zone' as it's ambiguous.
users
Use 'people' wherever possible.
W
whole movement reporting
Use only in Livestock Information Service. In guidance, explain term in plain English.
X
X and Y co-ordinates
Capitalise X and Y. Hyphenate co-ordinates.