Northern Irish cattle brought across the Irish Channel for breeding sales this autumn face a six-month standstill on this side of the water if they don’t find a buyer.

Despite the UK and Northern Irish government’s work on bespoke rules for special ‘international sales’, no mart is planning to host one for the remainder of 2022.

Marts are anxious about the amount of red tape required and the potential impact of health status and additional testing for domestic consigners. The rules have widely been condemned as impractical and further refinements are needed to make sales more appealing to auctioneers and farmers.

A spokesperson for DAERA said: “In 2021, following an intervention by Minister Poots with the DEFRA SoS and EU Commission in relation to Protocol-related requirements for the attendance of NI animals at shows/sales in Great Britain, the EU Commission published a bespoke Export Health Certificate Ungulates moving from an event, exhibition, display or show in Great Britain to the Union or Northern Ireland: certificate 8462 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .The Minister finds these requirements unacceptable.

“Subject to conditions being met, this certificate removes the need for a six-months residency period in Great Britain, thus enabling NI animals to attend shows/sales in Great Britain and return immediately to Northern Ireland following end of show/sale.

“To avail of the return certificate and therefore derogation from the six-month quarantine, the show/sale must be approved to operate to EU assembly standards," said DAERA.

“A working group made up of industry representatives, DAERA and UK Government officials was subsequently established to provide guidance and take forward the necessary arrangements and approvals to facilitate the immediate return of NI cattle post attendance at shows/sales in Great Britain.

“Whilst DAERA can confirm that the necessary approvals have been granted by UK Government officials, the date of the inaugural sale/show operating to such rules has yet to be confirmed.”