Tipperary farming: funding sought to offset compulsory EID tagging

Farmers must be provided with adequate funding following the Department move to introduce compulsory bovine EID tagging from next year, according to IFA animal health chair Pat Farrell.

At an additional cost of €1.05-€1.10, Pat Farrell said that compulsory bovine EID tagging adds over €2.5m in direct costs to suckler and dairy farmers for tags alone, before the purchase of readers is factored in.

“While there are management benefits for some large farms, these farms can and are already using EID. The vast majority of suckler and dairy farms will only experience increased costs for tags and readers, while meat factories, factory feedlots, exporters, marts, Department of Agriculture inspectors and vets will accrue the benefits from compulsory EID,” he said.

EID does not enhance the cattle traceability systems already in place in Ireland. EU legislation requires that all bovines are to be tagged within 20 days of birth and registered on the Department’s Animal Identification and Movement (AIM) database within seven days of tagging.

The AIM database is already providing an accurate and comprehensive database detailing the origin, identity, movement and life history of all cattle born in or imported into the country without the need for compulsory EID.