The debate over the mandatory introduction of electronic identification (eID) tags for all sheep and goats across the country, continues to provoke strong opinions.
Government have mandated that after January 1st, 2025, all sheep and goats born on farms must be tagged with ID tags in place of the current tags which display PIC (Property Identification Code) numbers.
As of January 1st 2027, every sheep and goat that leaves a property must have an eID tag attached. These tags have been mandatory in Victoria for many years and now all other states must follow suit, in the name of traceability and biosecurity.
While few farmers would argue the importance of tracing animals in the event of a disease outbreak such as foot and mouth disease, it is the cost of the transition to eID tags that is causing most concern…