The Welfare of Animals (Permitted Procedures by Lay Persons) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012 No. 153

Regulations 2 and 3(a)

SCHEDULE 3 SHEEP

PART I Part I of this Schedule specifies permitted procedures which may be performed by a lay person in relation to sheep

Identification procedures

1.—(1) Ear notching;

(2) Ear tagging;

(3) Microchipping;

(4) Tattooing;

(5) Other methods of identification involving a prohibited procedure required by law and not restricted to being undertaken by a veterinary surgeon.

Procedures for the control of reproduction

2.—(1) Artificial insemination;

(2) Castration;

(3) Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive;

(4) Implantation of a subcutaneous hormone.

Other management procedures

3.—(1) Disbudding;

(2) Tail docking.

PART II Part II specifies any additional conditions for a procedure

Castration

4.—(1) When the method used is the application of a rubber ring or other device to constrict the flow of blood to the scrotum, the procedure shall only be carried out on an animal aged not more than 7 days.

(2) When any other method is used it shall only be used up to the age of 3 months.

Implantation of a subcutaneous contraceptive

5.—(1) The procedure may not be carried out on a farmed animal.

(2) The procedure shall only be carried out as part of a conservation breeding programme.

Implantation of a subcutaneous hormone

6.  This would apply to subcutaneous hormone (or other pharmaceutical product) for modulating seasonal reproductive activity in adult females.

Tail docking

7.—(1) In all cases, enough of the tail shall be retained to cover the vulva of a female animal or the anus of a male animal.

(2) When the method used is the application of a rubber ring or other device to constrict the flow of blood to the tail, the procedure shall only be carried out on an animal aged not more than 7 days, or by any other means such as a hot docking iron, before the age of three months.