Registering a poultry farm — herd holding number and IRZplus
Before you place your first flock, you must register the farm. We walk through, step by step, how to apply for a herd holding number at ARiMR, notify the District Veterinary Officer and start keeping records in the IRZplus system — so the farm operates lawfully from day one.
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Why a poultry farm is registered
Every holding that keeps poultry must be entered in an official register. This is the basis of the animal identification and registration system (IRZ) — it lets the veterinary services know where and how many birds are kept and react quickly, for example during avian influenza. Registration applies to large farms as well as smaller ones — including many backyard flocks. Without an entry, lawful keeping and the sale of birds or eggs are not possible.
The herd holding number — your identifier in the system
The heart of registration is the herd holding number assigned by the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture (ARiMR). It is a unique identifier of the place where you keep the animals — it appears in all documents, notifications and inspections. Under this number you later keep flock records in IRZplus and report every placement and removal of birds. One number corresponds to one holding (location), not to a single flock.
Two institutions: ARiMR and the veterinary service
Two paths come into play when registering a poultry farm. ARiMR keeps the register of herd holdings and assigns the number in the IRZplus system. The District Veterinary Officer (DVO), in turn, supervises animal health and food safety — you notify them that you are keeping poultry, and at a larger scale or for sales you must meet additional requirements. Some duties also link to registration and the farm’s veterinary number if you plan to produce for the market.
Registration is only the start of your duties
An entry in the register opens a list of ongoing record-keeping duties: reporting animals, keeping flock documentation and reporting events on time. The IRZplus portal itself can be unintuitive, so DlaFerm.pl helps you handle it all in one place — you keep a digital Flock Card, have flock records in IRZplus and treatment and medicine withdrawal records at hand, and if you want, DlaFerm.pl will send the herd status-change reports (placement, slaughter) to IRZplus for you automatically. You decide — you can let us file them or report yourself, and either way you are ready for an inspection at any time.
How to register a poultry farm
From the decision to start a farm to the first flock report — here are six steps that take you through the whole registration.
1. Check what type of activity you have
First establish the scale and purpose of keeping: for your own needs, for sale, or commercial production. This determines the scope of formalities and whether, besides the herd holding number, you also need a veterinary number. If you plan to sell from the holding, check the rules of selling poultry from the holding (RHD).
2. Prepare the holding’s data
The application needs data identifying the animal keeper and the location of the herd holding (address, parcel, contact details). If you are already registered with ARiMR as an agricultural producer, some data is ready. It is worth gathering in advance the documents confirming title to the land and the buildings where you will keep the birds.
3. Apply for a herd holding number at ARiMR
You submit the application for a herd holding number at an ARiMR district office or electronically. Once it is processed, you receive a number that is your identifier in the IRZplus system. This is a key document — without it you cannot report animals or start keeping records.
4. Notify the District Veterinary Officer
Keeping poultry is notified to the competent District Veterinary Officer. Depending on the scale and purpose of production, the DVO enters the holding in their register and may set additional requirements, including on poultry farm biosecurity. For production for the market a separate veterinary number may be needed.
5. Activate access to IRZplus
After the herd holding number is assigned, you set up access to IRZplus — ARiMR’s online application in which you keep records and report events. Here you register placements, removals and movements of birds. How it works day to day is described in the guide on flock records in IRZplus.
6. Report your first flock and start keeping records
Once you place the first birds, you report the flock within the applicable deadline and begin keeping documentation: numbers, health events, treatment and mortality. From then on records must be kept up to date. It is most convenient to link them with a digital Flock Card and a poultry farm management software.
Deadlines, documents and risks of registration
Registration is not a one-off formality but a set of duties spread over time. Here are six things to keep in mind.
Register before placing animals
The herd holding number should be assigned before you start keeping poultry. Registration is done before keeping begins, and the latest deadline follows from the rules on animal identification and registration — so do not leave the formalities to the last minute. Confirm the exact deadlines at the ARiMR office or with the District Veterinary Officer.
Event reporting deadlines
After registration you are bound by deadlines for reporting events in IRZplus — placements, removals and movements of birds. A late or missed report is the most common irregularity at inspections. Keeping records up to date and reminders in a farm management software greatly help you stick to the dates — and if you want, DlaFerm.pl will send the report to IRZplus for you so the deadline doesn’t slip.
A full set of documents
Keep the complete set of registration documents in one place: the decision granting the herd holding number, confirmation of the notice to the veterinary service and the IRZplus access details. These are the first things an inspection asks for. Digital flock documentation organises them and protects against loss.
Penalties for failing to register
Keeping poultry without an entry in the register and failing to keep records carry administrative sanctions. A lack of registration also hampers lawful sales and excludes you from payments. The specific amounts and grounds depend on the regulations and the authority’s decision — check them at the source and do not delay fulfilling your duties.
Updating the data
Changes must be reported: a new location, a change of animal keeper, ending or suspending the activity. Out-of-date data in the register of herd holdings can lead to errors at inspections and payments. Make sure the status in IRZplus matches the reality on the farm.
Links to other duties
Registration connects to further duties: treatment and medicine withdrawal records, biosecurity and — for production for the market — hygiene requirements. It is worth arranging the flock documentation from the start so it meets all these requirements at once, rather than catching up before an inspection.
Frequently asked questions about registering a poultry farm
Does a poultry farm have to be registered?add
Yes. Every holding that keeps poultry must have a herd holding number and be entered in the register kept by ARiMR. The duty applies both to commercial farms and to many smaller and backyard flocks. The scope of additional formalities depends on the scale and on whether you produce for sale.
What is a herd holding number?add
The herd holding number is a unique identifier of the location where you keep the animals, assigned by ARiMR. Under this number you keep records in the IRZplus system and report events concerning the flock. One number corresponds to one holding, not to a single flock of birds.
Where do you submit the registration application?add
You submit the application for a herd holding number at an ARiMR district office — in person or electronically. In addition, you notify the competent District Veterinary Officer that you keep poultry. For production for the market a separate veterinary number may also be required.
What is IRZplus?add
IRZplus is the online animal identification and registration system run by ARiMR. After the herd holding number is assigned, it is where you keep records and report placements, removals and movements of birds. Reports must be submitted within the applicable deadlines, so it is worth keeping documentation up to date.
Does keeping poultry for your own needs also have to be reported?add
The registration duty also covers many backyard flocks, including those kept for personal needs. The scale at which specific requirements appear follows from the regulations — so it is best to confirm your case at the ARiMR office or with the District Veterinary Officer. Even a small flock is subject to the rules of animal identification and registration.
What are the consequences of failing to register?add
Keeping poultry without an entry in the register and failing to keep the required records carry administrative sanctions. A lack of registration also hampers lawful sales of birds and eggs and excludes you from part of the support. The amount of penalties depends on the regulations and the authority’s decision, so it is not worth delaying your duties.
Keep your flock records in one place with DlaFerm.pl
Already have a herd holding number and want records and documentation under control? We will show you how DlaFerm.pl makes keeping the Flock Card and records in line with IRZplus easier. Create a free farm account.
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