Dear Members,
You will have been reading a lot in the press recently about EID of sheep, which within Europe has been regulated to come into force on 31/12/2009, and the slaughter derogation which Defra and others consider an advantageous option to take under this EU Regulation.
First of all I want to make it ABSOLUTELY clear that the LAA continues to oppose compulsory EID and individual recording, and will continue to attempt to find a better solution to what is on “offer”.
The LAA vehemently opposes the unworkable derogation which other parts of Industry want if and when EID is implemented.
Why and what does this derogation actually mean? For ease we attach a Q and A so that you can inform your clients when asked about EID.
Such is the importance of this issue to the Industry, as a whole, that the LAA has decided to get up a petition from all their producer/farmer clients to send to the Secretary of State Hilary Benn in order to show him that the majority of Industry is against the slaughter derogation as supported by the NFU and BMPA.
PLEASE HELP US to safeguard your industry, for this really is the time when WE ALL NEED TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER if we want a viable sheep Industry left.
SIGN UP TO OUR PETITION NOW >>>
Kind regards,
Ben Messer-Bennetts
LAA Chairman.
PROPOSED EID SLAUGHTER DEROGATION
Q and A
a. What is The Livestock Auctioneers stance with regard to compulsory EID for sheep post 31.12.2009?
The LAA is totally opposed to EID and the unworkable slaughter derogation as offered by Defra and supported by others such as the NFU and BMPA. The LAA will continue to vigorously lobby against EID and its appendages.
b. What is the slaughter derogation?
The slaughter derogation is an appendix to the EID regulation offered to member states that would permit lambs destined for slaughter within the first 12 months of their lives to be moved with one flock tag rather than with one individually numbered tag and a secondary individually numbered electronic device (tag or bolus).
c. Why is the LAA so against this seemingly sensible derogation?
It will unbalance and distort the market by reducing competition and by limiting the movement options for sheep.
d. How? Well here is a scenario:-
Farmer decides to sell some prime lambs at market
1. Farmer selects the lambs, reads every tag manually to determine how many are identified, and by how many different flock number tags
2. Farmer completes his movement document listing all the flock numbers and how many of each flock number are included in the consignment
3. Farmer completes his holding register with the same animal details as to that already on his movement document.
4. Lambs arrive at the auction mart.
5. Auction mart staff select the animals for each market lot; splitting the original batch into several lots
6. Auction mart staff read every tag number manually to ensure that every flock number, and the number of sheep with each flock number, are recorded and listed on the sales sheet correctly
7. Auction mart staff complete the market holding register
8. Lambs arrive at the abattoir
9. Abattoir operator is required to read every sheep ear tag flock number manually to ensure that the details on the market movement document are correct
e. Once a lamb has been identified with a single flock tag and moved off its holding of birth can I retrospectively choose to re-tag it with an EID device?
No, it would be illegal to change the method of identification once the lamb had left the holding of birth.
f. As a feeder of lambs I find that several of my single flock tag identified lambs have mistakenly become pregnant, can I re-tag these sheep to retain them within my breeding flock.
No, those animals would need to be slaughtered BEFORE they reach the age of 12 months
g. Currently any lamb found in an abattoir to have erupted a permanent incisor is classified as a mature sheep, by the abattoir inspector, and its carcass is split to facilitate the removal of the spinal cord. If a lamb identified with a single flock tag is found to have erupted a permanent incisor will there then be an issue over the animal being wrongly identified.
No-one seems to be prepared to clarify this question, but if you read the legislation it says that only sheep intended for slaughter before they reach the age of 12 months can be identified with a single flock tag. Sheep are “split” in the UK when the abattoir inspector believes that they are over 12 months of age (having erupted a permanent incisor). I suggest that you make your own decision on that issue!!
h. How much will an EID tag cost?
The LAA have been informed by several of the noted tag manufacturers that an EID tag will cost in the region of 50p - 60p
i. Ask yourself the following?
1. How many people will want to feed lambs that are identified with a single flock tag? Very few.
2. How many markets will manage to read every ear tag when mixed batches are presented? We suggest none as it is clearly not cost effective.
3. How many abattoirs will wish or manage to read every ear tag of their mixed consignments? Very few.
4. What impact will it have on the value of store stock as well as finished lambs? Remember that on occasions up to 30% of all finished lambs presented at Markets for sale can be bought for further finishing. Who will do that with the derogation in place?
j. What is the conclusion?
The proposed slaughter derogation is unworkable. We believe that the disadvantages for Industry FAR OUTWEIGH any suggested advantages.
The LAA realizes that by rejecting the slaughter derogation it will mean that all sheep would need to be identified by EID; we appreciate that reading sheep tags electronically has its pitfalls and may be extremely burdensome, but reading tags manually is totally impossible.
For that reason alone there we have no choice, if we are burdened by the implementation of EID.
SIGN UP TO OUR PETITION NOW >>>
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