EGCS Embryo Rules

A calf born by embryo transfer will carry the suffix ET and may be registered in the normal way and with the prefix of the herd in which it is born subject to the following conditions:

1. The collection and transfer of embryos shall be carried out in the United Kingdom by a qualified operator recognised by the Society in accordance with the bovine embryo (collection, production and transfer) regulations 1995. 
2. Upon each collection of embryos an embryo collection certificate (form ET1) must be fully completed in triplicate by the collection team. One copy of the form is to be retained by the collection team, one to be retained by the owner of the donor female and one copy is to be submitted to the Society. 
3. iii. If the service bull(s) is/are not already DNA typed, an application to carry out DNA testing by tissue or hair sample must be made to the Society at the time of embryo collection.
4. If the donor female is not already DNA typed, an application to carry out DNA testing by tissue or hair sample must be made to the Society at the time of embryo collection. 
5. If any embryo is sold or transferred to another ownership by the owner of the donor female, either unfrozen, frozen, or in a recipient female even if the recipient female, remains the property of the breeder, a Form ET2 must be completed giving the new owner’s details and submitted to the Society. 
6. If an embryo is implanted in a recipient female a form ET2 detailing the official ear tag identity of the recipient and the date of implantation must be completed and submitted to the Society. 
7. vii. If at one and the same time more than one embryo is transferred to a recipient those embryos must be from one and the same collection. 
8. viii. The unique ET1 form number (not the collection reference number) must be quoted at the time of registration. 
9. In the case of embryos imported into the UK the breeder must submit the following: A copy of the embryo collection certificate from country of origin, notification of the number of embryos from that collection that were imported, three generation pedigrees for both sire and dam and the microsatellite DNA profile for both sire and dam. 
10. The registration of a calf born as result of embryo manipulation (split embryo) will be recorded as ETM. It is the responsibility of the owner/breeder to inform the society of the details at the time of registration. 
11. All ET calves born after 1 January 2011 must be DNA parentage checked before they are accepted for registration. The ET calf needs to be registered either by Internet or Telephone and will be held on suspense until the parentage check is completed. If the ET calf cannot be parentage checked, it cannot be registered. 
12. xii. From 1 December 2011, all ET paperwork must be received in the office before an ET calf can be registered. 
13. xiii. Every calf resulting from an embryo transfer will automatically have the letters “ET” appended to its name. Note: Where two embryos are transferred to one recipient and the resultant calves are of unlike sex, the female will in 96% of cases, be a freemartin.

Passed by Council 17th November 2021.