
1 
These Regulations may be cited as the Welfare of Calves at Markets Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1998 and shall come into operation on 27th July 1998.
2 
In these Regulations—
 “calf” means a bovine animal under 9 months of age; and
 “market” means a market place, sale-yard or any other premises or place to which animals are brought from any other place for selling and includes any lairage or parking area adjoining a market and used in connection with it.
3 
A person shall not bring to a market a calf which—
(a) is less than 7 days old;
(b) has an unhealed navel;
(c) is less than 12 weeks old and which has been brought to a market on more than one occasion in the previous 28 days; or
(d) is more than 12 weeks old and which has been brought to a market on more than one occasion in the previous 28 days, where bringing that calf to a market is likely to cause it unnecessary pain or distress.
4 
Where any calf which is less than 12 weeks old is kept in a market on any day, the owner or his duly authorised agent, shall remove that calf from the market within 4 hours of the time when the last transaction involving the sale of a calf has taken place in that market.
5 
A person who contravenes any provision of these Regulations shall be guilty of an offence under section 2 of the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of Agriculture on
R. S. Johnston
Assistant Secretary
3rd June 1998.