Reminder of sheep ID changes

NSA urges farmers to remember that new rules for sheep identification come in Thursday 1^st January 2015.

The change that affects sheep keepers in all parts of the UK is that ewes from the historic flock (those tagged before 2010) will need to be individually listed on a movement record from 1^st January unless they are moving directly to an abattoir or via a red market. This is not a requirement to retag older ewes and rams with full EID, but many producers may make that decision if it makes it easier for them to move older animals either between farms or via markets.

Also from 1^st January 2015, sheep keepers in England are no longer permitted to use non-EID tags for lambs and must use a single EID slaughter tag in lambs not being retained for breeding. Lambs born before 1^st January are still permitted to carry a non-EID tag and there is no requirement to retag these animals.

Use of the non-EID slaughter tag is still permitted in Wales until January 1^st 2016, but NSA urges sheep keepers in Wales to be very careful about the tagging decisions they make in 2015.

Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive, says: “It is has always been important to use the non-EID slaughter tag in prime lambs only and not in store lambs, but this will be even more important for Welsh farmers in 2015, as they will be the only nation still using the non-EID slaughter tag and will reduce their selling options if they use plastic tags in lambs that may be bought for further finishing.”

Government guidance on the incoming tagging rules in England and Wales is avaialable below.