Regulation 2 InterpretationI1

In these Regulations—

• “age at first calving” means in relation to a heifer, its age in months when her first calf is born;

• “applicant” means an eligible farm business which has applied for a payment under the scheme;

• F1“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;

• “calving interval” means the number of days starting from the day after a calf is born and ending on the day a subsequent calf is born to the same eligible cow;

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

• “eligible cow” means a female bovine animal of an eligible beef breed specified in the Schedule as registered on NIFAIS that has given birth to, or aborted one or more calves;

• “eligible calving event” means where an eligible cow or heifer gives birth to either—

  1. (a)

     an eligible live calf which is—

     1. (i)

        born alive and lives for at least 24 hours after its birth;

     2. (ii)

        identified with an approved ear tag;

     3. (iii)

        tested in compliance with the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Eradication Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2016^f1; and

     4. (iv)

        registered on NIFAIS; or

  2. (b)

     an eligible dead calf which is—

     1. (i)

        a bovine foetus or calf born dead or which dies within 24 hours of birth;

     2. (ii)

        identified with an approved ear tag;

     3. (iii)

        tested in compliance with the Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Eradication Scheme Order (Northern Ireland) 2016;

     4. (iv)

        meets the criteria as stated in regulation 4(3);

     5. (v)

        registered on NIFAIS; and

     6. (vi)

        confirmed as having been disposed of by a method approved by the Department; or

  3. (c)

     in the case of a multiple birth, a calf falling within paragraph (a) or (b) or both;

• “eligible farm business” means a farm business where the eligible calving event occurred and which meets the requirements of regulation 5 in a relevant scheme year;

• “eligible heifer” means a female bovine animal of an eligible beef breed specified in the Schedule as registered on NIFAIS that has never given birth to or aborted a calf;

• “Farm Sustainability Transition Payment Scheme” has the same meaning as in the Farm Sustainability (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2025^f2;

• “Farm Sustainability Payment Scheme” has the same meaning as in the Farm Sustainability (Transitional Provisions) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025;

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

• “relevant scheme year” means the year of application to the scheme;

• “scheme” means the Suckler Cow Scheme;

• “scheme payment” means a payment under regulations 3 and 7;

• “Scheme Year 1” means the year beginning on 1st April 2025 and ending on 31st March 2026;

• “Scheme Year 2” means the year beginning on 1st April 2026 and ending on the 31st March 2027;

• “Scheme Year 3” means the year beginning on 1st April 2027 and ending on 31st March 2028;

• “Scheme Year 4” means the year beginning on 1st April 2028 and ending on the 31st March 2029;