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Guidance

Lists of recognised breed societies and breeding operations

Recognised breed societies for bovine, ovine, porcine and caprine species, and recognised breed operations for hybrid breeding pigs.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published:
1 November 2012
Last updated:
19 June 2026
Show all updates

  1. Updated address details for 'Dutch Spotted Sheep Society' on the Recognised breed societies for ovine species list.

  2. Updated the Recognised breed societies for ovine species. We've removed Devon Closewool Sheep Breeders’ Society.

  3. Updated the recognised breed societies for ovine species list.

  4. We've updated the contact information for Devon Closewool Sheep Breeders’ Society in the list for 'recognised breed societies for ovine species'.

  5. The telephone contact number for the Gloucester Cattle Society has been updated to 07425 458404.

  6. Updated the contact details for the Valais Blacknose Society on the ovine list.

  7. Updated the list of recognised breed societies for ovine species.

  8. Updated the contact details for the Swaledale Sheep Breeders Association on the ovine list.

  9. Updated the contact details for the Dutch Spotted Sheep Society on the ovine list.

  10. Updated the contact details for the Hereford Cattle Society on the bovine list.

  11. Updated the contact details for the Valais Blacknose Sheep Society on the ovine list.

  12. Added a new entry (The Gascon Cattle Society) to the recognised breed societies for bovine species list.

  13. Updated address for Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association on the ovine list.

  14. Added new society (Cymdeithas Defaid Iseldir Lliw - Coloured Down Sheep Association) to HTML attachment for Recognised breed societies for ovine species.

  15. Updated the telephone number for Ouessant Sheep Society on the ovine list.

  16. Updated address for Ouessant Sheep Society on the ovine list.

  17. Added British Boer and Meat Goat Association to the list of recognised breed societies for caprine species.

  18. Updated contact details for The British Parthenais Society in 'Recognised breed societies for bovine species'.

  19. Updated the 'Recognised breed societies for bovine species' list to show recognition for the European Angus Cattle Society will be removed from 31 March 2023.

  20. Updated address and contact details for the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society on the Bovine list.

  21. Updated the 'Recognised breed societies for caprine species': The British Boer Goat Society - withdrawn from recognition from 8 February 2023.

  22. Updated address for British Boer Society on the Caprine list.

  23. Updated the address for Longhorn Cattle Society and the email address for Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society in ‘Recognised breed societies for bovine species’. Updated the email address for Suffolk Sheep Society in ‘Recognised breed societies for ovine species’.

  24. Updated list of recognised UK breed societies for caprine species. Further 30-day herd book suspension for The British Boer Goat Society.

  25. Updated address and contact details for Beltex Sheep Society in 'Recognised breed societies for ovine species'.

  26. Updated the recognised breeding societies for ovine species list with new contact details for the Dutch Spotted Sheep Society.

  27. Recognised breed societies for ovine species: updated the Valais Blacknose Society name and contact details.

  28. Changed the email address fangr@defra.gov.uk to ukglesecretariat@defra.gov.uk.

  29. Updated the list of recognised breed societies for bovine species

  30. Have added a suspension note for 'The British Boer Goat Society' under the caprine species list. Note reads "6 month herd book suspension implemented from 17 May 2022".

  31. Updated list of recognised UK breed societies for caprine species.

  32. Updated list of recognised UK breed societies for bovine species.

  33. Moved the attached guidance to a new page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/zootechnical-rules-and-standards

  34. Updated list of recognised UK breed societies for bovine and ovine species.

  35. Updated the recognised breed societies for bovine species list.

  36. Updated list of recognised UK breed societies for bovine and ovine species.

  37. Updated list of recognised UK breed societies for bovine species.

  38. Updated the list of recognised UK breed societies approved or recognised for maintaining or establishing a herd-book for the bovine species.

  39. Updated recognised breed societies list for bovine and ovine species.

  40. Updated recognised breed societies list for bovine, caprine, porcine hybrid, porcine purebred and ovine species.

  41. Updated the recognised UK breed societies for the caprine species.

  42. Updated the recognised breeding operations for hybrid breeding pigs.

  43. Updated: Recognised breeding operations for hybrid breeding pigs.

  44. Updated recognised breed societies list for bovine and ovine species.

  45. Updated recognised breed societies list for bovine, caprine, porcine hybrid, porcine purebred and ovine species

  46. Updated the recognised breed societies for ovine species

  47. Updated recognised breed societies list for bovine species.

  48. Updated list of recognised breed societies for Ovine species.

  49. Updated list of recognised breed societies for Ovine species.

  50. Updated the breeding books section in the Zootechnical rules and standards attachment

  51. Updated list of recognised breed societies for ovine species.

  52. Updated recognised breed societies for bovine species.

  53. Updated the Recognised breeding operations for hybrid breeding pigs list.

  54. Updated the recognised breed societies for ovine species.

  55. Refreshing out of date information and adding updates for a no-deal brexit.

  56. Updated the lists for hybrid and purebred porcine and bovine species.

  57. Guide to zootechnical rules and standards guidance updated to include information for breeders on changes if the UK leaves the EU with no deal.

  58. Latest lists of recognised breed societies for bovine and ovine species attached.

  59. Updated the FANGR contact email addrress to fangr@defra.gov.uk

  60. Update to lists of breed societies.

  61. Updated lists added for bovine, ovine, porcine and caprine species. List of recognised breeding operations for hybrid breeding pigs also added.

  62. New document added to explain the new Zootech regulations 2018 that come into force on 1 November 2018.

  63. Replaced the bovine list as a new society has been recognised.

  64. Replaced the bovine list and the zootechnical guidance.

  65. Updated the the bovine list (addition of the newly approved Gloucester Cattle Society) and Ovine list (addition of the Hebridean Sheep Society).

  66. Replaced bovine list: updating breed secretaries and their contact details of the Ayshire, Aberdeen Angus and Beef Shorthorn cattle societies.

  67. Updated the lists for ovine, bovine and porcine species.

  68. Updated the list of ovine species.

  69. Updated the list of ovine and caprine species.

  70. Updated lists for bovine and ovine species.

  71. Updated lists for bovine, caprine, ovine and porcine species.

  72. Latest lists added for bovine, caprine, ovine and porcine species.

  73. Updated the ovine list.

  74. Updated the ovine list of recognised associations.

  75. Published latest version of the Ovine list.

  76. Bovine list updated.

  77. Ovine list updated.

  78. Added email address for Zootechnics and Fangr

  79. Uploaded latest version of the Ovine list.

  80. Latest vesrion of Bovine list: recognised associations published.

  81. Updated ovine list.

  82. Linked to list of recognised equine breed organisations.

  83. Published updated Bovine list: recognised associations

  84. First published.

Documents

Recognised breed societies for bovine species

HTML

Recognised breed societies for caprine species

HTML

Recognised breeding operations for hybrid breeding pigs

HTML

Recognised breed societies for ovine species

HTML

Recognised breed societies for purebred animals of the porcine species

HTML

Recognised breed societies for equine species

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/horse-passport-issuing-organisations

Details

Defra lists recognised breed societies for bovine, ovine, porcine and caprine species.

It also lists recognised breeding operations for hybrid breeding pigs.

The list of recognised equine breed organisations is also available.

Zootechnical rules and standards support trade in:

  • purebred breeding cattle
  • sheep and goats
  • pigs and hybrid pigs
  • equines
  • genetic material of all these animals

Read the guide to zootechnical certificates and how to get one.

Read about the work of the Farm Animal Genetic Resources Committee.

Contact: ukglesecretariat@defra.gov.uk

Member State colleagues

Send your queries, including notifications about the extension of the geographical territory of breeding programmes into the UK to ukglesecretariat@defra.gov.uk.

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