NFUS BELIEVES SHEEP DATABASE HOLDS EID KEY

NFU Scotland has reiterated its position that the key to delivery of controversial sheep identification rules is a central database, funded by the Scottish Government.

European Regulation 21/2004, which comes in to force at the end of the year, will make it obligatory for all Scottish sheep keepers to electronically tag most sheep born after 31 December 2009 and keep a record of animals’ individual identities every time they move. The Scottish Government is currently consulting the industry on how this unpopular regulation should be implemented.

The Union supports the development of a central database to record sheep identifications and movements, helping farmers comply with current and future requirements through a potentially ‘paperless’ system. It may even deliver flock management and animal health benefits back to farmers.

Speaking at a conference in Edinburgh today (Thursday, 29 September), NFU Scotland Vice-President Nigel Miller said:

“The development of a central database for sheep movements has the potential to significantly reduce the burden of compliance that regulation 21/2004 will bring to farmers. It could provide a paperless flock register for all sheep producers in Scotland, and alleviate the need for flock registers and movement documents on individual farms. This would be a huge step forward and could help avoid future cross compliance or inspection problems for sheep farmers.

“Having that database updated when animals are electronically scanned when passing through markets or abattoirs would make use of a key concession won by Scottish lobbying in Europe allowing the use of such centres to record movements. For example, markets could inform the vendor of what sheep they have consigned; inform the purchaser of what sheep they have bought and then inform the database electronically of the whole transaction.

“Although this regulation is deeply unpopular and poorly thought out, we have to make the most of a poor situation. The long awaited Food Chain Information (FCI) rules that come into force this January will require producers to provide meat processors with the relevant health information of animals going to slaughter. As part of the same rules, processors are required to provide relevant feedback on health and productivity back to producers on an individual basis where this is possible. The unpopular introduction of EID rules may actually make this possible.

“We are working with industry to keep FCI requirements as simple as possible, but further down the line, a sheep database opens up the delivery of benefits to the producer in terms of receiving feedback from abattoirs electronically. Allowing finishers and breeders access to information on carcase weights and conformation could provide valuable information and improve efficiency at farm level.

“At the same time, feedback on the health of each lamb when the carcase is inspected – taking a closer look at vital organs such as lungs and livers - could open the door to managing sheep diseases such as fluke, worms and Ovine Pulmonary Adenomatosis (OPA).”