Further to the news item of 31/08/2018 (see below), the proposed implementation dates for cattle EID in Scotland are likely to be delayed; however, they will still be subject to industry consultation and approval. EU exit and some other factors out with Scottish Government’s control have impacted on planned timescales.

Subject to the Scottish Government consultation exercise, electronic identification (EID) of cattle will be phased-in for Scotland over the next few years. New proposed dates for implementation will be confirmed as soon as possible.

The ScotEID team will organise a ‘road show’ around Scotland during the time of the consultation period to describe the industry led EID project and ongoing development of Cattle EID and the new data systems that will eventually replace CTS. Dates and venues will be posted here and locally advertised during the consultation period.

Extensive development of the new system remains ongoing, with very promising results from UHF tags, particularly when using the latest UHF readers that are now available.

The ScotEID system will be able to utilise LF tags when they become available in WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) format, also delayed.

ScotEID will be at the Highland Show again this year, and the ScotEID team will be delighted to bring you up to date with the latest developments and demonstrate the technology.

The ScotEID office will be closed on the 25th & 26th of December and the 1st and 2nd of January

Due to increasing functionality, we are committed to regularly reviewing our Website Terms and Conditions and Data Protection Policy. Amongst other updates, references to the BSE Negligible Risk checker have been removed. The update also recognises the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), that came in to force on the 25th May 2018, as advice and guidance from the Information Commissioners Office continues to evolve.

Do you keep pigs, even just as pets...?

African swine fever is spreading in eastern and central Europe. This disease only affects pigs but is highly contagious and often fatal. If it were to reach the UK it would have a devastating effect on the health of our pigs and on domestic and international trade of pigs and pork.

Please see the poster and letter below for more information and advice:

• Summary Poster
• Letter to pig keepers

A case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) has been confirmed on a farm in Aberdeenshire.

In line with the disease prevention response plan, precautionary movement restrictions have been put in place at the farm, while further investigations to identify the origin of the disease occur.This is standard procedure for a confirmed case of classical BSE, which does not represent a threat to human health.

• A statement by the Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing
• BSE Q&A

Subject to a Scottish Government consultation exercise, compulsory electronic identification (EID) of cattle is due to be phased-in for Scotland over the next few years. This is anticipated to improve the speed and accuracy of traceability, hopefully paving the way for removal of paper passports. The currently proposed dates for implementation are:

• From January 2020, all calves born on Scottish holdings will have to be EID-tagged.
• From June 2022, any other bovine moving off a Scottish holding will have to be EID-tagged.
• Farmers wishing to EID-tag their animals earlier than these dates will be able to do so, from June 2019.

This phased approach will give sufficient time for existing on-farm stocks of non-EID tags to be run down and for many existing cattle to pass through the supply-chain without being retagged. As yet, a date for EID-tagging the remaining cattle on the holding has not been issued (i.e. older cattle not moving off a holding).

Reflecting industry views from across the supply-chain, EID-tagging will entail the combined use of both Low Frequency (LF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF) tags. LF is already in use for sheep EID (and some on-farm cattle management purposes) but has some constraints, whilst UHF offers some technical and cost advantages likely to make it increasingly attractive for livestock traceability (such that the International Standards Organisation is working on extending animal identification standards to UHF). The combination of LF and UHF can be achieved via a single, dual LF-UHF tag, a UHF flag backed by a LF button tag, or by separate LF and UHF tags (one in each ear).

This year, for the first time, ScotEID are at the Royal Highland Show, showcasing the latest research and development on the Cattle EID Pilot. The ScotEID Technical Team are demonstrating the new cattle UHF tags and readers and are on hand to answer your queries. Alongside are members from the ScotEID Information Centre to demonstrate aspects of ScotEID including sheep and pig moves, BVD and ScotMoves, and answer your questions.
Please come and visit us on 7th Avenue, next to the Sponsor Pavilion.
MAP

Scottish Government are continuing to make and publish videos to promote the BVD eradication scheme. The most recent videos explain why the check test is valuable and is worth doing correctly, and the importance of protecting pregnant cows and heifers against BVD.
BVD Videos

From the 3rd of April phase 4 of the BVD eradication scheme will be fully implemented. This will reward keepers who buy cattle responsibly, and will require anyone bringing in risky animals to test them for BVD or lose their BVD “negative” herd status.
The risky animals are:

• Calves born on Scottish non-breeding holdings that have not been individually tested for BVD
• Cattle moving off a Scottish “not negative” herd that do not have an individual negative status (either BVD test result or assumed negative from having a calf)
• Cattle without individual BVD test results coming from herds outside Scotland

More information can be found on the Scottish Government BVD "what's new" page

• In order to support the BVD eradication scheme several videos have been produced.
• Full implementation of Phase 4, message from the CVO Scotland
• Protect your BVD negative status
• The BVD eradication scheme: progress so far

To contact the Scottish Animal Movement Unit (SAMU) please phone Dumfries RPID (Rural Payments & Inspections Division) on 0300 244 5888 and ask for SAMU. The fax number is now 0300 244 8844. The email address remains samu@gov.scot.