The start date of 1 October for full EID tagging is just two months away and there are fears the uncertainty generated around EID tagging is disrupting the store lamb trade.

Drought conditions have reduced the number of active buyers in marts around the country as extra fodder is limited on many farms. However, members of the IFA sheep committee have said upcoming EID tagging rules are also damaging trade.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal, Pat Murray, Wexford representative, said: “Guys are afraid to buy store lambs. Farmers are selling lambs with one tag and buyers are unsure and afraid to bid on these lambs.”

Sheena McCarthy, north Cork representative, added: “If EID comes in, it is up to the farmer who is fatting the lambs to go and update their tags. That is some amount of extra work. They’ll have to manually read tags and order the new tag – that’s another cost in an already non-existent trade.”

Kevin Comiskey, vice-chair of the committee has called on the Department of Agriculture to postpone the introduction date until they resolve a number of issues.

He said that despite the fact EID tagging had been implemented on breeding stock since 2010, there was still no added traceability.