{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/suckler-cow-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2025/regulation-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/suckler-cow-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2025/regulation-4.json",
  "legislation": "nisr/2025/41",
  "legislation_title": "The Suckler Cow Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/suckler-cow-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2025",
  "path": "regulation/4",
  "kind": "regulation",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Specific requirements: animals and farm businesses",
  "text": "(1) Subject to paragraph (4), an eligible heifer must have an eligible calving event at a minimum age of 21 months and not exceeding the maximum age specified in column 2 of Table 1 in respect of the scheme year specified in column 1 of Table 1—\nTable 1\nColumn 1 scheme year\nColumn 2 maximum age at first calving\n1\n34 months\n2\n32 months\n3\n30 months\n4\n29 months\n(2) Subject to paragraph (4), an eligible cow must have an eligible calving event at a minimum calving interval of 271 days and not exceeding the maximum calving interval specified in column 2 of Table 2 in respect of the scheme year specified in column 1 of Table 2—\nTable 2\nColumn 1 scheme year\nColumn 2 maximum calving interval\n1\n415 days\n2\n405 days\n3\n395 days\n4\n385 days\n(3) The Department shall issue payment for a maximum of two eligible calving events in which an eligible cow has given birth to only eligible dead calves, from the date of commencement of these Regulations.\n(4) Subject to paragraph (3), the Department shall not issue payment for any subsequent eligible calving events in which only eligible dead calves are born but will use those subsequent calving events to determine if the calving interval requirements in Table 2 of paragraph (2) are met.\n(5) Animals with specified NIFAIS identification, registration and movement or disease statuses as set out in Table 3 shall not be eligible for payment.\nTable 3\nAge at first calving\nCalving interval\nHeifer and, or calves with DOBQ - (Date of birth query)\nCalves with DOBQ - (Date of birth query)\nCalves with VDF - (Valid dam failure)\nCalves with VDF - (Valid dam failure)\nHeifers and, or calves with IDU - (Identity unknown)\nCows and, or calves with IDU - (Identity unknown)\nCalves with BVDU - (Bovine viral diarrhoea unknown)\nCalves with BVDU - (Bovine viral diarrhoea unknown)",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "Reg. 4 in operation at 1.4.2025, see reg. 1"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2025/41/regulation/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T00:26:37.258488+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}