New sheep electronic identification, movement and recording requirements

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) today outlined their proposed new rules for electronic identification (EID) of sheep and individual identification of goats.

The new system, which requires the individual tag numbers of sheep and goats to be recorded, is required by EU legislation to ensure effective traceability. The system will be in place from January 2010 and many of the main elements of the new rules will be phased in during the year.

DARD fully considered the responses to the consultation exercise when deciding how the new system should be implemented. DARD recognises the vital importance of live exports to our sheep producers and the following proposals have been made to ensure that this trade is protected. The main requirements for the new system, and the key dates for keepers to be aware of are:

• All lambs born from 1 January 2010 must be identified with two identifiers, one EID device and one conventional tag, bearing the same number. An EID tag and a conventional tag will most commonly be used. Existing green tags cannot be used for any animal born or identified after 1 January 2010.
• Animals born next year do not have to be tagged until they are nine months old or are being moved off the holding, whichever is the earlier. EID tags will therefore not be needed until this point.
• Animals presently on farm will have to be upgraded to EID from 1 June 2010, but only when they move.
• Most keepers will not have to buy or use EID readers as we intend to allow markets and meat plants to read EID tags on behalf of keepers when animals move to or from their premises. This means that the keeper will not have to list the tag numbers on the movement document.
• Keepers will retain their existing flock or herd number, and these will be included in the tag numbers.
• The colour of the new EID tags is likely to be yellow, and keepers may have the option of choosing the colour of the matching conventional tag. Where the animal is no longer on the holding of birth replacement tags must be red.
• There are a number of options available when applying replacement tags depending on the age, origin and recording method and these rules will be covered in more detail in due course.
• Goat keepers will have to comply with the same recording requirements as sheep keepers but they will not have to apply EID tags.

While keepers can continue to use a paper flock register, they will also have an opportunity to operate a paperless system of sheep traceability through recording traceability information on APHIS-Online.

A guidance booklet which will be issued to all keepers in the New Year together with flock/herd registers and movement document books.

A series of information seminars to help explain the new rules on EID will be held shortly in your area.

Further statements will issue in the coming weeks.

Notes to editors:

1. The introduction of sheep EID is an EU obligation under Council Regulation 21/2004 and requires the individual identity of sheep and goats born after 31 December 2009 to be recorded when they are moved. In order to allow this to be achieved for sheep, the Regulation requires them to be identified with an EID device and a conventional tag.
2. The objective is to make it easier to trace individual animals, especially in a serious disease outbreak situation, such as Foot and Mouth Disease.
3. Although the Council Regulation is directly applicable here, new legislation is required to revoke and replace the existing Sheep and Goats (Records, Identification and Movement) Order (NI) 2005, as amended, to define offences, penalties, derogations and some additional provisions necessary to implement the Regulation here.
4. All media enquiries should be directed to the DARD Press Office on 028 9052 4619. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.