Authorisation of new and replacement NI cattle tags suspended

The authorisation of new and replacement cattle tags in Northern Ireland has been temporarily suspended, according to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).

The temporary suspension has been announced by DAERA in order to facilitate the implementation of the first phase of the new Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS) database.

Tag manufacturers will not be able to seek authorisation from DAERA to produce new or replacement cattle tags from 12:00pm on Saturday, June 10, until 9:00am on Monday, June 12.

DAERA has asked farmers to ensure they have an adequate supply of new tags for any calves to be tagged and registered over that specific weekend.

Farmers are also advised to check that all animals set to be moved off-farm, between the dates stated above, are double tagged and to purchase replacement tags in advance if required.

Meanwhile, the authorisation of sheep tags will not be affected, DAERA added.

The NIFAIS database is being developed to replace the current Animal and Public Health Information System (APHIS) database.

As it stands, tag manufacturers currently contact the department’s APHIS database to request authorisation to produce both new and replacement tags.

However, from June 12 onwards the authorisation of cattle tags will transfer from APHIS to NIFAIS, according to DAERA. After June 12, the development of NIFAIS is being completed and released in stages, with a full roll-out expected in 2019.

Cattle condemned at NI processing plants

Recently, the Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) claimed that a number of cattle have been condemned at processing plants in Northern Ireland, due to ID status queries in recent weeks.

There has been an increase in the prevalence of this situation due a change in guidelines by the Food Standards Agency, the UFU added.

The organisation has urged all herd keepers to request a herd list from DAERA. This herd list will allow farmers to check whether or not any of the cattle in their herd have an ID status query against them.

The status queries which herd keepers need to keep an eye out for are:

NNO: no birth notification;
DOBQ: date of birth query;
IDQ: identification query.

The UFU has encouraged herd keepers who identify an animal with an ID status query to contact their local District Veterinary Office (DVO); it is important to do so as soon as possible, in order to get the query resolved.

Meanwhile, the farm organisation is also encouraging all herd keepers to take extra precautions with the registration of calves as well as when buying cattle, to ensure that the identification is accurate.