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The Bovine Genetics Genotyping Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026

S.R. 2026/14 · Made 4 February 2026 · Extends to Northern Ireland

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 1 September 2026.

Agriculture

Made 4th February 2026

Coming into operation 1st September 2026

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairsf1 makes these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 9(1) of the Agriculture Act (Northern Ireland) 1949f2, Articles 52(9) and 70(4) of Regulation (EU) No1307/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013f3 and section 48 of, and paragraph 5 of Schedule 6 to the Agriculture Act 2020f4.

These Regulations are made with the approval of the Department of Financef5 under section 9(1) of the Agriculture Act (Northern Ireland) 1949.

Annotations to the whole text

Footnotes

f1

The Ministry of Agriculture for Northern Ireland became the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland by the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973 c.36 section 40 and Schedule 5 paragraph 8(1); Renamed as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development by the Departments (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 S.I. 1999/283 (N.I.1) Article 3(4) and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs by the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 c.5 (N.I.) section 1(2)

f2

1949 c.2 (N.I.)

f3

EUR 2013/1307

f4

2020 c. 21

f5

The “Ministry of Finance” is now the “Department of Finance”; see section 1(4) of the Departments Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 c.5 (N.I.)

Contents

  1. 1Citation and commencement
  2. 2Interpretation
  3. 3Genotyping Scheme Payment
  4. 4Specific requirements: animals and farm businesses
  5. 5Live bovines
  6. 6Aborted bovine foetuses, stillborn bovine calves or bovine calves that have died before being tagged
  7. 7Inadequate tissue sample
  8. 8Tampering with a sample
  9. 9Use of NIFAIS information
  10. 10Withholding and recovery of overpayments
  11. 11Powers of authorised persons
  12. 12Amendment of Regulation (EU) No1306/2013
  13. Signature
  14. Schedule Eligible Bovine Breeds
  15. Explanatory note

1Citation and commencementI1

These Regulations may be cited as the Bovine Genetics Genotyping Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 and come into operation on 1st September 2026.

2InterpretationI1

In these Regulations—

  • “applicant” means an eligible farm business which has applied to the scheme;

  • “approved” in relation to a tag supplier or a laboratory, means a tag supplier or laboratory approved by the Department;

  • “authorised person” means any person authorised by the Department to act under section 40(1) of the Agriculture Act (Northern Ireland) 1949 in matters relating to these Regulations;

  • “birth” means a registered birth on NIFAIS;

  • “cow” means a female bovine animal with a previous calf birth;

  • “Department” means the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs;

  • “eligible bovine” means a bovine taurine breed animal of a breed specified in the Schedule and registered on NIFAIS;

  • “eligible farm business” means a farm business which meets the requirements of regulation 4;

  • “eligible genotype” means a genotype confirmed by a service provider;

  • “keeper” means a person responsible for a herd;

  • “NIFAIS” means the Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System maintained by the Department;

  • “scheme” means the Bovine Genetics Genotyping Scheme;

  • “scheme payment” means a payment under regulation 3;

  • “service provider” means a person appointed by the Department to deliver genomic evaluations;

  • “stock bull or potential to be” means an entire male animal used for or intended for use in breeding and registered as “B” (bull) on NIFAIS;

  • “tissue tag” means a tissue sample tag supplied from an approved tag supplier.

3Genotyping Scheme PaymentI1

(1)

Subject to paragraphs (2), (3) and (4), the Department may, in accordance with these Regulations, make a scheme payment of £13 per eligible genotype to an eligible farm business.

(2)

The Department shall make that payment into the account of the eligible farm business as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving confirmation of an eligible genotype.

(3)

Payment to an eligible farm business is conditional upon the receipt by the Department of a satisfactory eligible genotype confirmation provided on behalf of the eligible farm business from the Department’s service provider.

(4)

Payment shall be made to the eligible farm business which submits the sample to the approved laboratory.

4Specific requirements: animals and farm businessesI1

(1)

The Department shall issue a payment in relation to an eligible bovine animal of the category set out in the second column of the Table.

Table

Genotyping scheme periodEligible bovines
1 September 2026 to 31 December 2027All existing dairy breeding females (cows). Dairy replacement youngstock female. All existing beef breeding females (cows). Beef replacement youngstock female. All existing stock bulls (dairy and beef) or potential to be.
1 January 2027 until 31 December 2027All new birth registrations (male and female, dairy and beef).
(2)

The Department shall issue payment for eligible genotyping events in which an eligible cow has given birth to one or more dead calves, from the date of the coming into operation of these Regulations.

(3)

The Department shall not issue payment for any subsequent genotyping events for animals not in the herd of the applicant on 31 December 2027.

(4)

Subject to paragraphs (1) and (3) the Department shall issue payment for eligible genotypes received up to and including 15 May 2028.

(5)

An eligible farm business shall—

(a)

have applied to be part of the scheme; and

(b)

provide such further information in relation to any animal as the Department may request.

(6)

The tissue tag used by the applicant must be issued by an approved supplier.

5Live bovinesI1

(1)

The keeper of an existing eligible bovine shall ensure—

(a)

a tissue sample is taken from it; and

(b)

the tissue sample is dispatched to an approved laboratory within 7 days of its taking.

(2)

In relation to new birth registrations, a sample shall be taken under paragraph (1) as soon as reasonably practicable but not later than 20 days after birth.

6Aborted bovine foetuses, stillborn bovine calves or bovine calves that have died before being taggedI1

The keeper of an aborted bovine foetus, stillborn bovine calf or bovine calf that has died before being tagged shall ensure that as soon as reasonably practicable, after the discovery of that bovine—

(a)

a tissue sample is taken from it;

(b)

that abortion, stillbirth or birth is notified to the Department; and

(c)

the tissue sample is dispatched to an approved laboratory within 7 days of its taking.

7Inadequate tissue sampleI1

(1)

Where the service provider is notified by an approved laboratory that a sample submitted in accordance with regulation 5 or 6 is not adequate to be subjected to analysis, the service provider shall by notice issued to the keeper require the keeper to submit a further sample up to and including 15 May 2028.

(2)

The keeper of a bovine notified in accordance with paragraph (1) shall ensure that –

(a)

a further tissue sample is taken from that bovine; and

(b)

the sample is dispatched to an approved laboratory within 7 days of its taking.

8Tampering with a sampleI1

A person shall not tamper with a tissue sample or do any act or thing or attempt to do any act or thing or cause or permit any act or thing to be done that is likely to affect the result of any analysis required to be carried out in an approved laboratory.

9Use of NIFAIS informationI1

(1)

The Department shall use the information recorded on NIFAIS along with information provided from the service provider to determine whether the requirements under regulation 4 are met.

(2)

The NIFAIS and service provider information shall be conclusive evidence unless otherwise rebutted or corrected to the satisfaction of the Department.

10Withholding and recovery of overpaymentsI1

(1)

This regulation applies where payment has been approved by the Department and it becomes aware that the applicant—

(a)

is not eligible to receive that payment;

(b)

has without reasonable cause obstructed an authorised person in the exercise of their powers under regulation 11; or

(c)

has tampered with a sample under regulation 8.

(2)

Subject to paragraph (3), the Department may—

(a)

revoke the approval of the application for payment; and

(b)

where payment has not been made withhold the payment or any part of it; or

(c)

where payment has already been made, recover from the applicant an amount equal to the whole or any part of the payment—

(i)

as a civil debt; or

(ii)

by way of offsetting against any sum otherwise payable to the applicant by the Department.

(3)

Before exercising the power under paragraph (2), the Department must by a withdrawal or recovery notice, (“the notice”)—

(a)

give the applicant a written explanation of the reasons for the proposed action; and

(b)

afford the applicant the opportunity to make written representations within 14 days beginning with the date of the issue of the notice; and

(c)

consider any representations made by or on behalf of the applicant.

11Powers of authorised personsI1

(1)

An authorised person may exercise any of the powers specified in paragraphs (2) to (4) for the purposes of these Regulations.

(2)

An authorised person on producing, if so required, a duly authenticated document showing the person’s authority to do so, may at all reasonable hours enter any land other than a building used only as a dwelling house.

(3)

An authorised person may—

(a)

carry out any inquiries, checks, examinations, measurements and tests;

(b)

take samples;

(c)

inspect any part of the land (whether it is farmed or is withdrawn from agricultural production) and any livestock;

(d)

mark any animal or other thing for identification purposes;

(e)

have access to, inspect and copy any documents or records (in whatever form they are held) or remove such records to enable them to be copied;

(f)

have access to, inspect and check the operation of, any computer and any associated apparatus or material which is or has been in use in connection with the documents or records; and for this purpose require any person having charge of, or otherwise concerned with the operation of, the computer, apparatus or material to afford such assistance as is reasonably required and, where a document or record is kept by means of a computer, reasonably require the document to be produced in a form in which it can be taken away;

(g)

remove a carcase found on the land for the purpose of carrying out a post-mortem examination on it;

(h)

take a photograph of anything on the land; and

(i)

remove anything reasonably believed to be evidence of any failure to meet the eligibility conditions.

(4)

An authorised person entering any premises or land by virtue of this regulation may take with them such other persons as they consider necessary.

(5)

For the purposes of this regulation a computer includes any electronic device.

12Amendment of Regulation (EU) No1306/2013I1

 In Regulation (EU) No.1306/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 December 2013f1, after Article 93, insert –

“Article 93a

Rules on farm sustainability – bovine genetics

With effect from 1 January 2028, the rules on farm sustainability shall apply in relation to requirements about bovine genetics.”

Signature

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs on 4th February 2026

(L.S.)

Richard Johnston

A senior officer of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs

The Department of Finance approves the foregoing Regulations

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Finance on 3rd February 2026

(L.S.)

Maryann Smith

A senior officer of the Department of Finance

Eligible Bovine BreedsI1

Aberdeen AngusAngler RotviehArmoricaineAubrac
Australian LowlineAyshireBaltata & Baltata RomanescaBaltata Bruna
Baltata NegraBazadaisBeefmasterBelgian Blue
Belted GallowayBlonde D’AquataineBlue AlbionBlue Grey
BraunbiehBretoone Pie NoireBritish BlueBritish White
Bruna De MaramuresCanadian BlackCharolaisChianina
ChillinghamDanish RedDevonDexter
DroiMeannEast Finish BrownEnglish ParkEuropean Angus
FleckviehFrisona EspagnolaFriesianGalloway
GasconneGelviehGloucesterGroninger Blaarkop
GuernseyHerefordHighlandHolstein
INRA 95Irish MoileJerseyKerry
LakenvelderLIDLonghornLimousin
Lincoln RedLithuanian Black & WhiteLuingMalkekorthorn
Maine AnjouMarchigianaMaremmanaMeuse Rhine Yssel
MontbeliardeMurray GreyNormandeNorwegian Red
Old EnglishPajunaParthenaisPiemontese
PinzguaerPustertalerRed PollRubia Gallega
ReggianaRomagnolaRotbuntSalers
ShetlandShorthornShorthorn BeefShorthorn Dairy
SimmentalSouth DevonSpeckle ParkStabiliser
SussexSwedish RedSwiss BrownTarantaise Tarina
Tyrone BlackValsostana NeraVaynolVosgienne-Vosges
WagyuWelsh BlackWelsh WhiteWhite Galloway
White Park

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations establish the Bovine Genetics Genotyping Scheme. The Scheme provides for payments to be made by the Department to eligible farm businesses to subsidise the cost of genotyping eligible bovines within their herds.

The Scheme—

specifies the payments available (regulation 3);

specifies the eligibility criteria for animals and farm businesses (regulations 4, 5 and 6);

specifies procedures for inadequate samples and tampering (regulations 7 and 8);

specifies the use of NIFAIS information (regulation 9);

provides the powers for withholding and recovery of overpayments (regulation 10);

provides for the powers of authorised persons (regulations 11);

specifies amendment of Regulation (EU) No1306/2013 (regulation 12);

and

specifies eligible bovine breeds (Schedule).