Q. Why is EID being introduced into the UK?A. EID is being introduced under (EC) Council Regulation No. 21/2004, which establishes a system for the registration and identification of ovine and caprine animals in all member states. UK agricultural ministries will be responsible for the interpretation and introduction of this ruling, which applies to sheep and goats.

Q. When is EID being introduced into the UK?A. The new legislation takes effect from 31st December 2009. Any animal born after or not yet officially identified by this date should be tagged according to the new rules.

Q. What about sheep identified before Dec 31 2009?A. There will be no need to retrospectively tag these sheep using Electronic tags, although keepers may choose to do so, if they wish.

Q. Will EID apply to all sheep?A. When the new legislation comes into force, EID will be compulsory for all sheep, born or identified from 31st December 2009 and not intended for slaughter before 12 months of age. Sheep must be identified with two identifiers, one Electronic (tag, bolus or pastern tag) and one Non-Electronic (Visual) ear tag both printed with the same individual code e.g. UK 0 230011 00123. This code will also be encoded onto the chip within the electronic device.N.B. If the Electronic identifier of choice is a Bolus the accompanying ear tag must be Black in colour.

Q. What about animals intended for slaughter?A. Animals intended for slaughter within 12 months of age can be identified by a single Visual Slaughter Tag printed with your flock mark only e.g. UK 230011Or you may apply a single Electronic Slaughter Tag which will be printed with flock mark only, e.g. UK 230011, however the chip within the device will contain a full individual number e.g. UK 0 230011 00123.N.B You cannot use slaughter tags left over from 2009 as these will have an individual number as well as a flock mark.

Q. If a slaughter animal reaches 12 months of age will it need to be double tagged?A. If the animal is still on its birth holding you may replace the slaughter tag with a pair of individual identifiers one Electronic and one Visual from your tag stock and remove the Slaughter Tag.If the animal is not on its birth holding you can upgrade to a double identified animal only if the Slaughter Tag on the animal is an Electronic Tag and only if this animal is on its first movement from it’s birth holding. You must ensure that the full chip number has been read and recorded, then remove and replace the Electronic Slaughter Tag with a pair of Red Replacement identifiers, one Electronic & one Visual, and provide a full cross reference between these identities and write the number in date of identification section in the holding register.

Q. Which ear should the EID tag be applied to?A. It is recommended the Electronic Tag is applied to the left ear.

Q. What are the replacement rules for EID tagged animals?A. All lost or damaged tags must be replaced within 28 days of the loss or damage being detected.

For double tagged animals you can choose to apply either:A tag with an identical number to the one that has been lost (a replica* tag) OR:

If the animal is on its birth holding you may apply your next matching pair of tags one Electronic and one Visual identifier and remove the remaining tag. If the animal is not on its birth holding a pair of Red Replacement identifiers, can be applied one Electronic and one Visual and remove the remaining tag. If a Bolused animal should lose its ear tag it must be replaced with an identical replica* tag only, this tag must be Black.

For Single Slaughter Tagged animals:If still on its birth holding replace with another Visual Slaughter Tag or Electronic Slaughter Tag from your stock. If not on birth holding replace with a Red Visual or Red Electronic Slaughter Tag.Whenever a replacement tag is applied (of whatever type), a record of the replacement should be made in the replacement section of the holding register and where appropriate be cross referenced between the old and new tag.

Q. What are the replacement rules for animals identified before 31st December 2009?A. If animal is on holding of birth, replace with an identical replica tag* OR a new matching pair of Non Electronic tags, or if you wish, an EID set. If not on birth holding replace with an identical replica tag* OR a matching pair of Red Replacement Visual tags, OR if you wish, a Red Replacement EID set. Whenever a replacement tag is applied (of whatever type), a record of the replacement should be made in the replacement section of the holding register, except for older animals (born or identified before 31/12/200) still on their holding of birth.

Q. Can I choose any colour for my eartags?A. No, the following colours have been reserved: Yellow used for EID tags, Red used for Replacements including Replacement EID, Black used to indicate a ruminal bolus. However, you can use any colour apart from the above mentioned colours for your Visual Tag, so you will still for example be able to identify year of birth by different coloured tags.

Q. Are the rules the same for Goats?A. Goats will continue to be identified according to 2008 legislation ie double identified, although you can choose to use EID if you wish.

Q. What happens to the Holding Register?A. Animals born or identified after 31st December 2009 with an individual animal number visually appearing on the tags must be recorded in the births / deaths movement sections of the holding register – except for farm to farm moves where

keepership or ownership of animal does not change, in which case moves can be batch recorded. For Slaughter identified animals and those born and identified before 31st December 2009 batch information must be recorded. Where mixed batches are moved the number of animals with the same holding of birth identity within a batch must be recorded.

Q. What about Movement Documents?A. Batch movement recording for all animals until 31st December 2010. From 1st January 2011 individual recording on movement documents for animals identified after 31/12/09 except for farm to farm moves where keepership or ownership of animal does not change, in which case moves can be batch recorded. Batch recording will continue for animals identified with a Slaughter Tag. From 31st December 2011 animals identified before 31/12/2009 must be individually recorded on movement document, except where moving direct to slaughter or farm to farm moves where keepership or ownership of animal does not change, in which case moves can be batch recorded.

Q. What equipment will I need?A. You will not be required to have any sort of reading equipment on the farm. However you will need to apply electronic identifiers to animals not intended for slaughter within 12 months of age. You will also need to maintain individual animal records. It will be for each keeper to decide whether his or her scale of production necessitates the use of reading equipment, or whether the individual recording requirement can be complied with manually.

Q. Where can I get further information?A. DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk or Ritchey on 01765 689541

*Replica tags may cost more to buy, as they are a bespoke item.

EID FAQsAll information verified by DEFRA