ScotEID, which manages the database for recording animal movements in Scotland, has created a new electronic tracking system that will monitor and record Scottish cattle throughout their life.

The proposed new system uses both advanced Ultra High Frequency (UHF) and low-frequency scanning tech to record cattle data using electronic identification tags.

The tech will enable farmers to record a batch of animals in one go and from a greater distance, rather than having to do it one animal at a time. Centralising all the livestock information in the ScotEID database will remove the need for paper passports as the database will incorporate births, deaths and movements between holdings.

The system will replace the British Cattle Movement Service’s (BCMS) Cattle Tracing System (CTS) for Scottish cattle keepers and provide an online herd register for farmers. The BCMS CTS service has supported cattle recording in Scotland, England and Wales since September 1998 to comply with EU legislation.

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Bob Yuill, director of ScotEID said: “When the system is adopted in Scotland, then all movements to and from markets and to abattoirs will be recorded using UHF technology which is good from both a health and safety perspective but also for ease of use.

“Using electronic ID tags, electronic reading and electronic data transfer will reduce the administration burden and recording errors for the livestock sector and be safer in terms of requiring close handling of cattle.”

Ahead of the introduction of legislation for mandatory bovine EID in future, the ScotEID team has planned a series of roadshows from October to March to explain the new system to farmers, Yuill said.

“We will be able to explain in more detail and answer questions that interested parties may have, during our roadshow events,” he added.

The roll-out of EID tech in Scottish cattle will be subject to industry consultation and the first step for introduction is likely to be EID tagging of all new-born calves.

Thereafter, it is likely all cattle leaving a holding will require EID tags within two years of the first calves being tagged and only adults will require retagging at that point.