Changes to Cattle Ear Tag Numbering System

Important changes to the cattle ear tag numbering system will be introduced from Saturday 15 September 2007.  All new and replacement tags will be printed with fourteen characters.  The changes are being introduced to facilitate the export of cattle going for breeding and production to some member States where importers require 14-characters on tags.  New rules will be introduced for the export of such animals and these will be given to exporters shortly.  There will be no changes for the export of cattle to Britain.

This change means that any herd numbers consisting of less than 6 digits will have zeros added to create a 6 digit number.  DARD is writing to herd-keepers whose herd numbers consist of less than 6 digits to inform them that their herd number will be expanded to 6 digits.

Most herd numbers already consist of 6-digits and will remain unchanged, but if a herd number is less than 6-digits, zeros will be added (after the two-digit electoral area number).  For example, if the herd number is 538 it will be packed out to 530008. If the herd number is 0637, it will be packed out to 060037; and herd number 42576 will be packed out to 420576. The individual animal number will also have zeros added, if necessary, to form 4 digits.

Existing stocks of ear tags may be used for a period of one year.  After the end of September 2008 tags of less than 14-characters may no longer be used.

An example of this is as follows: