The introduction of mandatory electronic tagging from 1 June 2019 for all sheep leaving the holding of birth remains a contentious issue with farmers faced with a significant increase in costs.

The fact that the majority of ewes in flocks are electronically tagged – and lambs face the same fate – is leading some producers to consider their options and weigh up if electronic recording could be a runner.

There are lots of options on the market and George Megarry, TGM Software Solutions, advises farmers to get in touch with equipment suppliers well in advance of lambing and investigate if the software you are considering will provide you with the analysis you desire highlighting aspects such as 40-day, 56-day or weaning weights, along with options such as a flock ewe efficiency comparison.

According to George, another area for investigating is if management software can import existing data you may have on spreadsheets or if systems are compatible to import data in the case of an upgrade in equipment or software.

Where systems can import data from spreadsheets then George advises farmers to undertake this task before recording any 2019 data stating that it is a much simpler and cleaner option but notes also that advance notice will allow it to be fitted into the software providers work schedule.

This will allow lambs to be linked with ewes at birth on reading equipment with this facility.

For farmers with existing equipment, George advises to carry out a check on all equipment to ensure all is in order before the busy lambing period commences.

Aspects to consider include if the battery is retaining its charge, while physical checks such as any cracks to screens or damaged seals allowing water to penetrate are present.

It is also advised to connect the reader with your computer to see that there is no issues with software or connections and that all is up to date.