The derogation that allows older sheep tagged before 2010 to be moved in batches between businesses will end in January 2015.
Given the sizeable proportion of the Scottish flock that will be aged five years or older by this date, the National Sheep Association (Scotland), the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers Scotland (IAAS) and NFU Scotland are urging flock keepers to update their ID to current standards and double tag these animals before trading them off the farm.
The stakeholders jointly recommend that that to optimise market opportunities and avoid manual recording of individual ear tag numbers in the future, animals from the historic flock should be retagged.
These older animals will have previously received non-electronic tags if born prior to 2010. To meet the current requirements, prior to changing ownership, they should be double tagged, one of which must be an electronic (EID) tag.
Stakeholders remind producers that if they are re-tagging these older animals then the process must be recorded in the flock register, similar to any other retagging operations.
