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When considering the identification of agricultural livestock, there are two main categories to observe:
Official identification required by the law
There is currently no official requirement for the use of electronic identification in identifying animals. However, a large-scale test (IDEA) carried out in several countries of the EU over a period of three years has provided the basic principles on which future changes to the guidelines will be drawn up.
For cattle, each individual animal must be identified as specified in Germany in the VVVO (“Viehverkehrsverordnung” – code of rules governing the transport of livestock). For pigs, sheep and goats, there is at present no requirement for each individual animal to be identified: the ear tags used on them carry their batch label and the number identifying the firm that owns them, but serial numbering is optional.
Identification for livestock management purposes on farms
In order to use identification for management purposes, it must be electronically readable without physical contact. Typical examples here would be the ability to recognise individual animals in the milking parlour, on the scales, while the animal is being conducted from one pasture to another (whether on foot or by motor vehicle), while it is being examined, at automated feed concentrate dispensers or in a whole range of other locations. There are virtually no limits to the application of transponders for the farmer - it's simply a matter of observing the physical limitations of the electronics systems in question and, in the case of fresh purchases, making sure the electronics used for reading comply with the requirements of ISO 11785.
The ideal situation is achieved when the two categories are combined - that is to say, when the identification technology needed to comply with the requirements of the law also meets the requirements for managing an agricultural concern. The new EU guidelines currently being drawn up will, indeed, integrate these requirements.
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