A decision by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine has paved the way for farmers to order cattle tags from two separate tag suppliers.

Earlier today, the Department approved Cormac Tagging as a cattle tag supplier, meaning that its IT system received final sign off by the Department.

Today’s decision will enable farmers to buy the new Caisley patented sets of tags with tissue sampling capabilities, as well as electronic tag sets and replacement tags from the company.

The Galway-based company received clearance to supply three types of cattle tags, which include conventional (FlexoPlus D/D), electronic (FlexcoTronic D30) and tissue tags suitable for BVD testing (FlexoPlus Geno).

The tissue tag has a less than 1% loss rate over the first year, according to Cormac Tagging.
The company previously announced that it is to offer free replacements of Caisley tags for the one-year duration of the contract offered by the Department of Agriculture.

The cattle tags are widely used in Northern Ireland where the cattle tissue tag is used by over 70% of herd keepers, according to the company.

Cormac tagging also said that it has repeatedly tendered for the contract over the last 14 years to supply cattle tags to Irish herd keepers.

The Caisley cattle tissue tag set will retail at €2.68 including the ICBF contribution and VAT, while a free applicator will be given away with every 50 sets of tags, the company said.

On October 28, the Department of Agriculture was officially approved by the Department of Agriculture under the new tag regime.

Mullinahone Co-op will also offer the full range of cattle tags sought by the Department covering conventional tags, tissue tags, electronic tags and bolus’.

The approval runs until the end of 2017 and this can be further extended by the Department.

In addition, a third company, Datamars Ireland has been approved to supply its entire range of cattle tags to Irish farmers.

Full details and cattle tag prices will be issued by the company once its commencement date is finalised.