As of 1st January 2025, Tasmania, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland make the transition to electronic eID tags for 2025 drop lambs. Details about each state’s subsidisation plans can be found on this page. This article looks at the different ways you can use the tags, beyond their traceability functions. From birth to over the hooks, there are many ways you can use eID data to cut costs, increase meat quality, aid with culling, and many other jobs.
Many studs around the country are already using eID tags, but how can they be used for commercial flocks?
eID tags, along with the supplementary equipment, can be used to:
- Record growth weights and identification of poor performers (in need of culling or extra feed)
- weigh your own prime lambs before they go on the truck to make sure you’re not losing on grid prices
- recording animal health treatments for easy management of withholding periods
- record dry/single/twins at scanning then draft up the mobs closer to lambing without having to worry about marker dots washing out or staining the wool
- flag animals that have been diseased and should be culled (i.e. dermo, foot abscess)
- finding out individual carcass traits (if the abattoir complies)
- easily stay up to date with LPA audit requirements (recording deaths, treatments, etc)
This list is by no means extensive, and needs/uses will differ for each production system.
So, what other equipment might you need to take advantage of government rebates, and accurately use eID data?
- A tag reader
- Weigh scale loadbars
- A handler
- And a weigh scale indicator
Tru-Test has a great tool to identify which products are best suited to your farm, and the activities you want to use technology to streamline! Note, you might need to complete the form a few times for each component (load bars, indicator, eID reader).
Click here to access the decision tool.
Tag Readers
Load Bars
Weigh Scale Indicators
Chemvet supplies the full Datamars Tru-Test range and can help match you with the right technology to improve the efficiency of your sheep production system! For information or a quote, email us at admin@chemvet.com.au or give us a call on 1800 243 683!
Prefer to talk to a Tru-Test expert? Call Craig from Datamars on 0418 773 811.