SA should take a ‘sit back and wait’ approach on mandatory sheep electronic identification.
That was the consensus from agents and producers after an information session at the Naracoorte Regional Livestock Exchange, hosted by the Australian Livestock Saleyards Association.
Similar meetings have been held across Vic to discuss the technology to read the tags being rolled out in their saleyards from July 1.
The meeting also raised concerns about large “phantom mobs” of Vic sheep remaining in the system with SA saleyards and abattoirs continuing to process all incoming stock under the mob-based ear tag system.
A PIRSA spokesperson says there are no provisions for individual Vic sheep to be electronically scanned before slaughter in SA.
In 2015-16 just under a million sheep and lambs from Vic were consigned to SA abattoirs, with 54 per cent through direct consignment and 46pc via saleyards.
In the same period nearly 1.5m SA sheep and lambs were sold into Vic.
Pinkerton Palm Hamlyn & Steen agent Richard Harvie says the other states should wait at least three to five years to watch Vic “iron out the problems” before even considering a national electronic identification system.
“They (Vic) were the first into electronic tagging of cattle and mishandled it and it will be the same this time, but hopefully here we can learn from their experiences and find the most cost-effective way of making it work.”
Naracoorte Lucindale Council director of operations Steve Bourne says the meeting was an opportunity to understand how Vic is rolling out the new system.
“There is no doubt there are some challenges but we are well placed here to watch and see how they do it,” he said.
