The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, has approved 16 further marts to read electronic sheep tags.

All sheep farmers, since June 1, 2019, have been required to tag all sheep and lambs with electronic identification (EID) tags.

Below is a link of the marts approved to read electronic sheep tags in each province.

This now brings the total number of marts approved to read electronic sheep tags to 24. The new software module (EID) allows the mart to use the new Government Animal Identification Movement or AIM Ovine interface for sheep.

The EID is used to scan electronic tags on sheep as they enter the mart.

All sheep, including lambs presented for sale, must be identified with a full-set of EID tags; this includes one conventional tag in the animal’s left ear and a corresponding electronic tag placed in the right ear.

Central Point of Recording

Furthermore, there are currently five sheep plants that have been approved by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine as a Central Point of Recording (CPR) as of June 5, 2019.

These include: Dawn Meats, Ballyhaunis, Co. Mayo; Irish Country Meats, Navan, Co. Meath; Irish Country Meats, Camolin, Co. Wexford; Kepak Ltd, Athleague, Co. Roscommon; and Kildare Chilling Company, Kildare Town, Co. Kildare.