News
22/06/2012 - Farmers Guardian
RHS 2012: Maximising potential of lamb EID.
LAMB performance data will be fed back from abattoir to consignor on an individual animal basis if current trials by Scotland’ largest lamb processor are successful.
LAMB performance data will be fed back from abattoir to consignor on an individual animal basis if current trials by Scotland’ largest lamb processor are successful.
The aim of the trial in Morrisons Woodhead Bros Turriff plant is to enable farmers make more informed breeding and management decisions and hinges on the performance of EID readers and associated technology.
The retailer is working with Quality Meat Scotland and Scot EID, the Scottish Government funded livestock traceability company.
At the Royal Highland Show Morrisons agriculture manager, Louise Welsh, said: “We’re confident we can crack this and help our farmer suppliers maximise the potential offered by theintroduction of EID tagging. Not only can it improve their efficiency, it can also help further improve thequality of the lamb that we sell in our stores.”
QMS chairman Jim McLaren saidit would help to improve the efficiency of the Scottish sheep industry and producers’ bottom lines bygiving them information to which they had never previously had easy access.
14/09/11 - Farmers Weekly
http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/14/09/2011/128999/EID-tag-makes-tagging-easier.htm#.TnDywYE4Mjg.email
13/09/11 - Duel EID Press Release
New Dual EID Tag Saves Time and Error
Launched today by Symtag, their new Dual EID tag for sheep and goats will make tagging
quicker and easier, reducing the chance of mixing tag pairs up and saving valuable time.
The new dual tag is one of the few on the market worldwide with detachable links. The links
connect the EID tag and visual tag together as one for ease of handling, saving time and
helping to avoid errors occurring when trying to pair up loose tags. The joining link is strong
enough to hold the tags together during handling, but separates quickly with the remaining
connector being easily removed, so it does not risk snagging when on the animal’s ear.
Alan Symonds of Symtag said: “Since the introduction of EID the technology behind our EID
tags has evolved quickly. We have responded to our customer feedback and are now
delighted to introduce this new dual tag with a detachable link. Feedback so far from
customers indicates that having the two tags connected in this way will save considerable
time and headache when tagging lambs.”
In addition to improving tag handling Symtag, in conjunction with their manufacturer PTS,
has also inserted an improved microchip into the EID tag, to further improve the performance
of the tag, making them even easier to read and more reliable.
The visual part of the dual tag is currently available in three colours – orange, blue and green.
14/04/11 - Symflex Press Release
Introducing the new Symflex ear tag for cattle
Launched today by Symtag, the new Symflex cattle tag is set to take a big step forward in
livestock ear tag reliability. Made from a highly flexible material, the Symflex tag is expected
to be very popular with livestock farmers across the UK.
Alan Symonds of Symtag said: “In all my years of handling tags, the Symflex tag is the most
flexible and toughest that I have handled yet. Livestock owners need to feel confident in the
reliability of the tags they use and I anticipate that the Symflex will really meet the highest of
expectations.”
Alan recommends that cattle keepers try the new Symflex tag this season when tagging their
cattle. The Symflex tag is available now as a primary cattle tag and can be ordered either
with button type or Ketchum metal secondary tags.
To find out more about the Symflex tag and Symtag’s complete range of cattle, sheep, goat
tags and EID equipment call now on 01934 750410, email info@symtag.co.uk or visit
www.symtag.co.uk
Symtag is a family run business, taking pride in the relationship it builds with its customers
and the personal service they provide. Cattle tags ordered by 3.30pm, on request, are
usually dispatched that day.
15/03/11 - Farmers Weekly
Electronic identification for sheep: tackling the issues
Electronic identification (EID) rules for sheep may have been in place for close to 18 months but there is still widespread confusion.
It is partly being fuelled by the continued resistance of a hardcore of sheep producers to embrace the new regulations. There is also an assumption that it's the job of auction marts and abattoirs to "sort out" tagging issues of slaughter sheep.
The end of March sees a 10-day visit to the UK by EU officials, who will be making spot checks on farms, abattoirs and auction marts to assess progress on UK sheep farming's implementation of the phasing-in of compulsory EID. Industry leaders say it is a visit that could trigger much stricter policing of new electronic tagging rules if the UK appears to be adopting a complacent attitude
Chris Dodds, executive secretary of the Livestock Auctioneers Association, says the EID system is in a "real muddle" and the lack of understanding is currently being exacerbated by large batches of prime hoggets presented at auction marts by feeders who expect mart staff to "sort out" the tagging issues.
"There just isn't the manpower at markets to do this and it's causing massive problems with big batches of feeders' sheep," says Mr Dodds. "Official figures show that a third of all sheep sold at a prime market don't go direct to the abattoir. That figure surprises a lot of farmers but it highlights the importance of electronic slaughter tags and it's this issue that anyone selling prime sheep through an auction mart needs to appreciate."
While acknowledging the cost issue among those reluctant to switch to electronic slaughter tags, Mr Dodds says many buyers of store sheep are already making it clear that animals carrying electronic tags will be their preferred choice of purchase over those without.
"Auction marts are under no obligation to manually identify non-EID sheep presented for a prime sale in a mixed batch. A declaration should be provided by the vendor but electronic slaughter tags must be the way forward as the most responsible approach to supplying animals into the food chain.
"The best piece of advice for all sheep producers is to talk to your auction mart and discuss how you can both best make these regulations work for all concerned," says Mr Dodds.
Geoff Lawn, a north Yorkshire farmer and chairman of the National Sheep Association's (NSA) northern region, says he is worried that unless the system is made to work, farmers will face penalties.
"A lot of farmers are confused but I'm concerned that unless there's a consolidated effort to do the best job we can, we could see cross-compliance rules applied – that may mean single farm payments are put at risk," he says. "We must all make an effort to get this to work."
Auctioneer Keith Davies, of Welshpool Livestock Sales, says there is still confusion at markets "week on week" about how slaughter sheep need to be identified.
"Farmers admit they are unsure how sheep should be tagged and how to maintain movement records and are resistant to the extra costs involved. But electronic slaughter tags are the most straightforward option to get things sorted out and make marketing prime sheep so much easier and more efficient," says Mr Davies.
Welshpool market is currently handling about 5000 prime hoggets a week and is still manually sorting lambs for vendors with mixed batches.
"It's a huge job and ties up staff from 7am until 1pm every sale day - just reading tags. But there are signs that more vendors are recognising the value of electronic slaughter tags.
The flow of mixed messages given to sheep producers over the past year hasn't helped them adapt to the new rules, according to St Merryn Meat's livestock director, John Dracup.
"There's a lack of understanding because the precise requirements of the regulations have been glossed over and diluted by those who have lobbied against EID. Compulsory EID is where we're heading and we have to accept that and find the best way of making it work," says Mr Dracup.
But he's encouraged by the increase in the number of slaughter sheep now carrying electronic slaughter tags. "Systems are evolving within our company that will enable us to use EID to the best advantage and provide individual carcase data for our customers."
And NSA chairman Jonathan Barber believes flock owners are becoming more familiar with the requirements of EID – although concedes they remain dubious about justifying its cost.
"The right tags and the right readers can make a big difference to the efficiency of keeping correct flock records and sheep movements and I think we're starting to see more joined-up thinking on how this can bring management advantages," he says.
07/01/2011 Farmers Guardian View from the Rostrum by Chris Dodds, Livestock Auctioneers Association
A Summary of an article in the Farmers Guardian (Classifed Section p.5)....
"As we move into 2011, and the second stage of implementation of the sheep EID rules, we are starting
to receive calls from some abattoirs saying they require purchases of prime lambs to all be indentified with
single electronic slaughter tags if the consignments include multiple different holding of birth numbers
(batch within batch), and that the single manual slaughter tag may not be acceptable to them......For sheep,
it may well be the more expensive electronic slaughter tags ensure a better ringside of buyers than the
cheaper alternative a manual tag can offer."