Farmers in the main European sheep-producing countries have been asked to share their views on EID (electronic identification) tagging.

A survey has been developed by SheepNet to assess the level of use of EID technology among sheep producers and to understand farmers’ opinions on its use, potential benefits and practicality.

SheepNet – a network involving the six main sheep-producing countries in Europe – aims to improve sheep productivity through the exchange of scientific, technical and practical knowledge between all levels of stakeholders in the sheep industry.

To date, SheepNet has identified the main factors influencing sheep productivity in each country, along with developing solutions, tips and tricks to improve sheep productivity in countries such as: Ireland; France; Italy; Spain; Romania; the UK; and Turkey.

Future improvements in sheep productivity and labour efficiency on-farm will most likely include the use of modern technology, leading sheep producers toward precision sheep farming (PSF).

Precision sheep farming involves the use of modern technologies such as electronic identification (EID), GPS and smart phones.

The survey is being undertaken by sheep producers across Europe and Turkey. The survey contains simple, background questions such as: flock size; farmer age; EID use; the benefits/limitations of EID on their farm; and the reasons for implementing / not implementing EID to date.

The survey is completely anonymous and there are no right or wrong answers. It’s solely the opinions of sheep producers that are sought in this survey. Complete the survey here