Mullinahone Co-op commenced distribution of the current automatic supply of eartags to farmers from early in January. As was the case of supply in 1996 and 1997, farmers in the main dairying counties in the southern part of the country received tags first. All farmers who under the predictive system used were deemed to require supplies of tags will have received tags by now.
In addition my Department made a special arrangement with Mullinahone Co-op whereby they produced an emergency supply of tags on their premises in Mullinahone. Under this arrangement, tags were supplied to farmers who demonstrated an urgent need to move calves born on the holding to sale or on animal health/welfare grounds. This arrangement worked well and enabled prompt supply of tags to farmers to meet their immediate needs.