Joe Walsh
Question:145 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will intervene to expedite the availability of tags for calves under 21 days; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10937/97]
Written Answers. - Cattle Identification Tags.
Every effort has been made to ensure prompt and sufficient delivery of tags to all herdowners, while at the same time ensuring that supply is under strict control. All herdowners should at this stage have received a supply of tags for 1997, the allocation of which was based on the breeding female numbers in the herd, and the extent of tag supplies and birth registrations in 1996.
Where a herdowner has insufficient tags for calves born in the herd in 1997 a request for extra tags must be made to the local district veterinary office using the appropriate application form. Herdowners have been advised to allow three to four weeks for an application to be processed, and in any event to make an application three to four weeks in advance of anticipated time of need. Where a herdowner wishes to avail of the calf processing scheme, but has insufficient plastic tags, application may be made to the district veterinary office for approval to allow the calves to be identified using a metal scheme tag to be applied by the herdowner's private veterinary practitioner. Herdowners have been advised to contact their district veterinary office in regard to any problem which they may have in regard to tagging and registration.