Sheep ID tags to combat disease outbreaks

Electronic tagging of sheep will be mandatory for UK farmers from 31 December 2009 as part of a European Union ruling to help combat disease outbreaks such as foot and mouth.

The EU regulations require sheep in the UK to have electronic tags by the end of 2009, except those intended for slaughter before they reach 12 months of age - though this is a two-year extension on the previous deadline of 1 January 2008.

Although the regulations apply to sheep and goats, the UK has fewer than 160,000 goats - meaning it will be able to utilise a derogation on complying with part of the regulation, according to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The EID (electronic identification) tags are being brought in across Europe following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth disease in the UK in 2001. The European Commission hopes EID will improve disease control by enabling individual animals' movements to be traced effectively throughout their lifetime.

Failure to be able to trace animals quickly and effectively during a disease outbreak could mean the number of cases of disease is greater, the outbreak takes longer to control and the cost of eliminating it is higher, says the EC. It could also mean greater movement restrictions have to be placed on the industry - a situation farmers are keen to avoid.

But electronic tagging is a controversial issue for farmers owing to the added cost per animal they would have to absorb. EID tags are more expensive than basic number-stamped tags.

Earlier this year the government said the current estimate of the total annual cost to UK markets and slaughterhouses for electronically tagging breeding sheep was £1.14m, while the cost of tagging all sheep was £1.84m. The bill for UK farmers will also run into the millions but the government says the cost will come down as technologies improve and economies of scale are exploited.

Following the EU ruling, Defra's animal welfare minister, Jeff Rooker, said in a statement: "Whilst I am aware that the industry needs to make significant changes in order to implement these proposals, securing a delay until 31 December 2009 for implementation is a significant achievement and will give our industry two years longer than was originally agreed to adjust to the introduction of EID.

"We do still have concerns about the cost and practicalities of introducing EID and these are recognised in the Commission's report. We will continue to work in close partnership with industry to discuss the implementation of EID in a way which is practical and industry can make work. We will also be seeking further amendments to the regulation to limit the impact of the introduction of the individual recording requirements which exists for older animals."