Auctioneers say UK will miss 2008 sheep ID deadline
Published October 22nd, 2005
The UK sheep industry will not be ready to implement compulsory electronic sheep identification in January 2008, reckon livestock auctioneers.
Speaking ahead of the results of a two-year ADAS trial into electronic identification (EID) in sheep to be released by DEFRA shortly, the Livestock Auctioneers Association said a national sheep database would not be operational in time.
Cumbria auctioneer Chris Dodds, LAA executive secretary, said there was a raft of reasons why the entire sheep industry wouldn’t be ready by 2008.
“As auctioneers, we recognise the only way to implement a national sheep identification scheme is through an electronic system. But, for it to operate, an effective UK sheep database is needed.
“Although it is in development, we don’t believe it will be able to cope with the huge influx of data by 2008,” said Mr Dodds.
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