NEWSLETTER
MARCH 2023
BRITISH
SIMMENTAL CATTLE SOCIETY
REVISION OF SOCIETY RULES
P
lease note that the Council of Management are presently in the process of ratifying a full update of the Society rules, which were last reviewed in 2017. It is intended that the updated version will be in place, and able to be downloaded from the Society website, in April and we will send you a further notification once they are ready. In the meantime, we would like to draw your attention to a number of changes which will come into place immediately or within the next 12 months. Maximum showing age of bulls at Society sales With immediate effect, bulls being sold at the Worcester sale, will be able to be shown up to the age of two years and six months old, this is to accommodate members who are unable to sell their bulls before this age. At all other sales, the maximum showing age will remain two years, but if a bull is entered for sale which is older it may be paraded. PLEASE NOTE: Embryo Calf Registrations It is a requirement of the Society, presently under rule 7.8, that all ET calves are fully parentage verified upon registration. This means that both the sire and dam must be DNA tested as well as the calf. However, as per previous correspondence, the Council of Management is aware that some older embryos may be stored where the parents have not been DNA tested, and where there will not be samples available for these animals. Therefore, if you have embryos stored please contact us before use at the Society office on 02476 696513 or by email at information@britishsimmental.co.uk to check if the parents are DNA tested. The Council of Management will consider cases individually, where
parentage verification cannot be performed on ET calves due to the sire or dam not being DNA tested. However, all such calves must be registered before 31st December 2025, after which no further exceptions to this rule will be considered. IMPORTANT: DNA testing of animals at Simmental Society Sales As from 1st May 2023, all animals including calves which are sold at sales held under the auspices of the Society British Simmental Society (entered into collective, draft, production, reduction and dispersal sales) which are registered as polled, must be DNA tested to confirm their polled status. This test can be ordered at the same time as the parentage verification or if your animal has already been DNA tested, it can be done retrospectively. The additional cost of the polled test is £6.60 including VAT. Effective from 1st January 2024, all animals including calves which are sold at sales held under the auspices of the Society British Simmental Society, must be DNA tested and sire verified. This includes all Collective Society sales (including draft animals), production, reduction and dispersal sales. Society Sale Inspections As from 1st January 2024, all animals which have been given a yellow mark during the inspection under rule 15.8.1, will be eligible to be shown in the presale show. Change of Sale Upset Price Effective from 1st April 2023, the standard upset price for bulls will be raised from 2,000gns to 2,500gns. The upset price for bulls being sold at the February, May and October Society Sales at Stirling has been raised from 2,400gns to 3,000gns.