Definition of breeder
Refusal of entries
25. All entries are subject to the decision of the council as to their eligibility for registration and the council shall have the right to refuse, cancel or reject any entry as they may think fit without being called upon to give a reason.
Herd inspection
26. (a) The council shall have the right to request a member’s herd or any animal within that herd be made available for inspection by an authorised representative of the society. Should such a request be refused, no registrations or transfers will be undertaken from that herd until a satisfactory inspection has been conducted.
(b) Registration of entries will be cancelled for any animal found to have had implantation of anabolic steroids and/or hormones.
Warranty (pedigree) certificate
27. A warranty (pedigree) certificate will be issued for each registered animal. No alterations will be permitted on such certificates, and duplicate certificates will only be issued under exceptional circumstances and on payment of a fee at the discretion of council.
Service sires
28. A 30-day interval must be left between two different bulls running with females or resulting calves may not be accepted for registration.
Service certificates
29.(a) If a member has a cow or heifer served by a bull owned by another breeder, a completed service certificate must be obtained from the owner of the bull. This certificate is to be forwarded to the society at the time of registering the resultant calf.
Service certificates are not required:
(i) Where a bull is hired for service. The owner of the female is responsible for submitting to the society a letter from the owner of the bull giving the period of hire and is to be received within three calendar months of the first date of hire.
(ii) Where a bull is owned by a syndicate, provided all the names of the syndicate members are reported to the society within three calendar months of ownership.
DNA testing
30.(a) (i) All bulls used for pedigree breeding must be DNA profiled and genetically tested for hypotrichosis with the results lodged with the society.
(ii) All bulls and females (with the exception of calves sold with dams) entered in officially recognised society sales must be DNA profiled and genetically tested for hypotrichosis with the results lodged with the society.
(iii) All bulls eligible as superior carcase sires must be DNA profiled and genetically tested free of hypotrichosis with the results lodged with the society.
In the case of (i) before being used, thereby allowing resultant calves to be submitted for registration, (ii) by the date of the relevant official sale and (iii) before the sire can be qualified as a ‘superior carcase sire’.
(iv) All calves born by a sire known to be a carrier of hypotrichosis must be tested for the condition. The cost of testing will be borne by the calf owner, but registration fees will be refunded on calves found to be carriers if they are deregistered at the request of the breeder.
(b) (i) In the case of embryo transplant, all donor females must be DNA genotyped and three trait tested (hypotrichosis, diluter and idiopathic epilepsy) and the results lodged with the society.
(ii) Calves resulting from an embryo transplant programme will only be accepted for registration following a parentage DNA verification.
(c) All first-time calvers are to be genotyped (where possible) and sire verified, if the sire has been previously SNP tested. Testing for hypotrichosis is optional but recommended.
If breeders test their first-time calvers and they prove free of hypotrichosis, by putting them to a hypotrichosis-free sire, all future offspring will only require parentage verification. This will result in progeny becoming PVF (parentage verified free for three traits) or PVHF (parentage verified hypotrichosis free) and will save the cost of a test.
(d) In the case of a heifer that has conceived under the age of 12 months, the resultant calf will only be accepted for registration following a full DNA test to confirm the parentage.
(e) Calves submitted for registration may, together with their dams, be subject to DNA profiling and tested for hypotrichosis at the discretion of the council.
(f) In the case of an animal DNA tested and not matching with either its sire, dam or both:
(i) Its registration will be suspended.
(ii) The breeder shall pay all reasonable costs to determine the animal’s correct parentage.
(iii) Subject to a positive parentage verification being obtained, the subject animal may then be registered and a new certificate issued.
(iv) All calves born within six months either side of the date of birth of the subject animal, to be DNA tested at the breeder’s expense and will include any that have been sold.
(v) In the event of a subsequent calf being found incorrect, all calves born during the 12 months from the date of birth of the original incorrect calf, including any that have been sold, must be tested or cancelled. The DNA fees, plus any other costs incurred, are to be borne by the breeder.
(g) In all events, the council reserves the right at any time to refuse, restrict or terminate the registration of any animal where the DNA result suggests doubt as to the authenticity of its ancestry.
(h) All bulls (domestic and imported) used for artificial insemination (AI) must be DNA tested. Bulls should be genetically tested free of hypotrichosis, diluter, idiopathic epilepsy and maple syrup urine disease. Results must be lodged with the society before the first registration is submitted.
(i) (i) Females used for breeding by AI may be subject to DNA testing at the discretion of the council.
(ii) Calves got by AI may be subject to DNA testing at the discretion of the council.
(j) (i) In the case of all genetic imports a certificate of freedom from hypotrichosis, diluter, idiopathic epilepsy and maple syrup urine disease must be provided.
(ii) Should any female be in-calf, the same information as in (i) above will be required in respect of the service sire/s.
(k) In the case of all genetic imports, including live animals, service sires, semen and sires and donor dams of embryos, a SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) DNA profile must be provided showing parentage verification together with the test results of the four genetic defects, as stated in (j)(i) above.
Naming of calves
31.(a) Every breeder shall register and use a herd name (prefix) for all calves and no other breeder shall be permitted to use that herd name except by permission of the registered owner and the society council.
(b) The name of an animal shall not exceed three words, including the registered herd name, but excluding a number. Four-word names will only be permitted in the case of breeders with a two-word herd name who wish to continue recognised family names (e.g. Hampton Court Gamester Girl).
(c) All calves carrying poll blood shall be identified by following the herd prefix with the figure 1, and in the case of British Polled Herefords, the figure 3.
(d) A breeder may, if they so wish, register and use a separate herd prefix for each strain, i.e. horned Herefords, poll Herefords and British Polled Herefords but the herd prefix shall still be followed by the appropriate number.