Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 12 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 6

Written Answers. - Cattle Identification System.

Ivan Yates

Ceist:

140 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has satisfied himself with the procedure for the replacement of lost brass eartags in cattle; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that farmers have to pay a private vet to retag an animal as opposed to a plastic tag where it can simply be replaced; his views on whether the less expensive procedure should apply where an animal has both a plastic and brass tag; and if he will review this matter in terms of the issue of duplicate tags. [6839/98]

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

Where a bovine animal loses a brass ear-tag, it is necessary for disease control purposes to test the animal in order to establish the health status of what in effect is an unidentified animal. Under the plastic tagging system, each bovine animal is tagged with two eartags each bearing the same identity number thus providing for the secure maintenance of the original identification of the animal. If one of these tags is lost, the herdowner is required to purchase and insert a replacement tag matching the tag number of the tag remaining in the animal. In general, animals born prior to mid-1996 are identified under the single brass tag arrangement. Animals born since this date are identified under the plastic tagging arrangement.