Compulsory electronic sheep tagging

THE electronic identification of sheep is set to become compulsory in Europe from January 1 next year.

This comes at a time when the sector is facing falling incomes, a rise in production costs and heightened crisis following the outbreaks of bluetongue and foot and mouth in Britain, according to the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS).

“All this when, depending on the country/type of production, the cost of electronic identification may be up to 15% of the value of a lamb,” it said.