Food and feed hygiene for farmers and growers

Veterinary medicines are strictly regulated in Northern Ireland to protect animal health, food safety, and public health from residues. Farmers must comply with legal maximum residue limits set by law and use medicines safely and responsibly to avoid enforcement.

The Medicines Regulatory Group (MRG), part of the Department of Health, authorises and monitors veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland. The Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) enforces farm compliance through residue testing and farm inspections.

Key legislation remains the Veterinary Medicines Regulations.

Legal record-keeping requirements for veterinary medicine

You are legally required to keep the records of veterinary medicines used on your farm, including:

• prescriptions (vet name, date, product details)
• purchases (batch number, quantity, supplier, expiry)
• administration (animal/group ID, dose, route, date, operator)
• withdrawal periods (end date clearly marked)
• disposal (method, date, quantity)
• administration

You must keep this for at least five years after you have administered or used the medicine. Failure to keep proper records may result in enforcement action, including prosecution or fines.

DAERA provides downloadable record-keeping templates. Records may be checked by the Veterinary Service on farm visits.

From 1 January 2026, Windsor Framework rules apply fully - medicines supplied to Northern Ireland market must hold NI/EU marketing authorisation. GB-authorised products are prohibited for new stock. Legacy stock placed on the Northern Ireland market pre-2026 can be used/sold after.

Anti-microbial resistance

Anti-microbial Resistance (AMR) occurs when bacteria become resistant to treatment. There is a recognised link between antimicrobial use in animals and resistance in humans. Farmers must use veterinary medicines responsibly.

You must:

• obtain prescription from suitably qualified person, eg veterinary surgeon
• use the correct medicine dose for the weight of the animal
• observe withdrawal periods strictly (longer for antibiotics)
• keep accurate records to confirm withdrawal periods have passed

DAERA's National Residue Monitoring Plan tests over 5,000 farm animal samples yearly for veterinary medicine residues like antibiotics. Failed tests may trigger warnings and retesting, or in serious cases result in full herd or flock quarantine, blocking all movements off-farm until cleared. Keep accurate treatment records and strictly follow withdrawal periods to avoid this risk.