Introduction to herd registers
An introduction to cattle herd registers giving background information on the use of checks and why they take place.
Introduction
Under EC Regulation (EC) 1760/2000 Article 7.4 and Cattle Identification (Enforcement) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 herd registers may be kept in a computerised format.
When the age of an animal, and therefore eligibility for human consumption, is queried at point of slaughter a number of checks are completed to validate date of birth information. One check is based on the herd keeper’s herd records. One of the conditions of this check is that all entries into the record (either on computer or into a book) are made at the same time as events (contemporaneous) and that births, movements and deaths are recorded in chronological order. If the herd book check is satisfactory the original date of birth on APHIS (Animal and Public Health Information System) is accepted and the carcase is allowed to proceed for human consumption.
