Birth Notification

Every birth in the herd should be notified to the Society before the calf is two months old. This is regardless of the calf’s sex, whether a bull calf is castrated, or indeed whether or not the animal will ever be registered as full pedigree. A birth certificate will be issued at that stage which will prove the calf has been born to registered parents.

This certificate will be invaluable:

1. To breeders who have stock slaughtered due to T.B. who would otherwise be unable to prove the value of their calves
2. To cattle owners in the upland environmental schemes who need to prove that their cattle are of a traditional native breed
3. To Beltie breeders who market their own Beltie meat and need to be able to prove its provenance for the Beef Labelling Scheme regulations.

Birth Notification forms are available from the Secretary. As well as the parents the breeder must enter on the form details of any undesirable markings such as a white foot or incomplete belt. The fee for a birth notification is £5 plus V.A.T., but this will be deducted from the cost of fully registering the animal at a later date. Still-born or post-natal deaths should still be notified but there will be no charge. In this way the Society hopes to build up an accurate picture of the number of breeding females in the breed as well as the number of calves being born.