There is growing interest among farmers in tagging newborn calves with EID ear tags. These tags can be read both visually and by electronic readers. The bovine EID tags on offer from Mullinahone, Cormac and Datamars meet all identification requirements of the Department of Agriculture.

EID tags were first offered in 2013 and 25,000 sets sold. In the 2017-2018 season over 200,000 sets were sold. Most of this interest is from dairy farmers for the following reasons:

  • Switching to EID allows use of automatic calf feeders.
  • Some calf buyers have told dairy farmer clients that they will buy all the herd’s calves if EID tagging was used. These buyers are geared up, back in their rearing yards, to maximise the labour savings that are available with electronic tags. Consignments they might offer for export are more valuable if all animals are EID-tagged.
  • For the breeding herd owner, using EID means female stock which go on to join the milking herd are set up from day one for herd management and labour-saving options around the parlour, eg automatic drafting.

    • Suckler farmers, so far, see fewer benefits in EID. The cost is small at €1/hd. But many suckler farmers reckon the savings and benefits would be harvested further down the line by feedlots, marts, factories and retailers – and that they themselves won’t gain when selling their animals.

    Nonetheless, the Department of Agriculture has raised the issue of mandatory use of bovine EID with the farm organisations and other stakeholders such as marts, vets, factories and, of course, tag suppliers.

    Minister Creed has said in the Dáil that bovine EID would only be introduced after wide discussions involving all stakeholders. He has more recently met angry opposition by farmers to sheep EID.

    In addition to this, the weather difficulties experienced by cattle farmers in 2018 mean he has said little recently on bovine EID.

    The EU requires that member states provide the infrastructure for bovine EID by July 2018. The Department of Agriculture has already done so – approved EID tags are available from the tag supply companies.

    All three tag companies could switch over to full bovine EID if given at least six months’ advance notice.