The Livestock and Rural Transporters Association of Victoria (LRTAV) has written to Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford, seeking clarification on how the new sheep and goat electronic tracing system was expected to work.
LTRAV president Mick Debenham said it had been inferred, or implied, livestock transport drivers would be expected to scan the sheep and goats.
“No-one has said differently, one way or another,” Mr Debenham said.
Last week, the state government announced all lambs born in Victoria, from 2017 onwards, were to be fitted with an electronic identification tag (eID).
Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford said the current system of visual ear tags was not sufficient to cater for a biosecurity threat, such as an outbreak of food and mouth disease (FMD).
She said those claiming drivers would have to scan sheep and goats were misinformed.
“I suggest people spreading these rumours are being mischevious or haven’t read draft guidelines,” Ms Pulford said.
Mr Debenham said it would take a significant amount of time to scan single animals, as they came off, or onto, trucks.
“The system doesn’t allow for a large number of sheep to be unloaded and run through the yards.”
In peak selling periods, some Victorian saleyards saw in excess of 50,000 sheep and lambs go under the hammer.
“We are not against the electronic tagging of sheep, but we have expressed our concerns about drivers being responsible for it.”
Mr Debenham said he could not see how the plan could work, with so many different groups carting sheep.
“There needs to be a lot more trial work to be done, to see how it’s going to work.”
Delays in scanning could also have an impact on animal welfare and withholding periods, if stock was going to an abattoir.
“It contradicts the system that’s in place for cattle, where the saleyards or agents are responsible.
“You need people who are qualified and equipped to do that, and trained properly to do that.”
Boyle’s Transport, Mepunga’s Anthony Boyle said more information needed to be released as to how the new system would work.
“I don’t know the ‘ins and outs’, there is no infrastructure there at the moment, so who knows?” Mr Boyle said.
“There is nothing wrong with wanting to push for it, or improvements in the job, but not when there aren’t any infrastructure, or trials, in place.
“It’s putting the cart before the horse – no-one is against traceability, but there are no systems available to meet the demand or comply with the regulations.”
Australian Livestock and Property Agents Association (ALPA) chief executive Andy Madigan said his organisation was frustrated and disappointed with the decision.
“This decision goes against the Victorian government’s commitment to national industry bodies and other state and territories that the government would not mandate tags until a national approach was agreed on and with industry consultation,” Mr Madigan said.
“The total disregard for this commitment and lack of national consultation is disappointing.”
He said visual National Livestock System (NLS) tags - combined with a correctly completed National Vendor Declaration (NVD) made the current mob based system efficient, cost effective and manageable.
The current system also provided traceability. “No one from Victorian government can demonstrate how a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system can work in a saleyard environment at commercial speeds.”
Mr Madigan said previously ALPA had been unable to receive costings on scanners and readers.
He said ALPA also had serious concerns about animal welfare, with sheep and lambs spending more time in saleyards, than was neccesary.
“There are also OH&S implications for our agent members who will be exposed to increased risk due to the additional time required to be spent in the saleyards,” Mr Madigan said. “Transporters are also exposed to increased time pressures with regards driver fatigue management.”
Mr Madigan said there would be confusion for cross border trade and the potential for lack of competition for livestock.
