Identification of Sheep
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Published on
Last updated on
Sheep must be identified (tagged) in accordance with the rules set down under the National Sheep Identification System (NSIS) and only tags that have been approved for use under the NSIS and purchased from approved tag suppliers may be used for official identification purposes.
The identification requirements for sheep as outlined here apply to all sheep, with effect from 1st June 2019.
Live Trade – All sheep (regardless of age) engaged in intra-community trade or third country exports must be double tagged with a conventional tag in the left ear, bearing a 12 digit number, and either a ruminal bolus or an electronic tag in the right ear, bearing an identical 12 digit tag number to the conventional tag. Sheep purchased for export must be properly identified in this manner at the point of sale.
Any animal being exported must, prior to presentation for certification at the export assembly centre, have been tagged in accordance with the rules of the NSIS. Both tags on a sheep fitted with an electronic set of tags will be yellow. The tag on a sheep fitted with a ruminal bolus will be light blue.
Click list of Tag Suppliers who have tags approved for use under the NSIS (NSIS & NGIS Tag List):