Traditionally, ordering tags for the new calving season starts with the new order form circulated by Mullinahone Co-op on behalf of the Department of Agriculture around 1st November of each year. This year will see a change to the set of tags that will arrive on farmers’ doorsteps as one of each pair of new tags will be a tissue tag to take a sample for the forthcoming compulsory BVD eradication programme. The submission of a tissue sample for BVD testing will be compulsory for all calves born after 1st January 2013.
While in the past, many farmers will have ordered their tags well before 1st November, AHI is strongly advising farmers this year to wait for the new tissue-enabled tag sets to become available. The reason for this is that if farmers order tags now, these will not be tissue sample-enabled, and they will have to order a supplementary ‘button’ tag to take the tissue sample from calves born after 1st January 2013, thereby incurring an additional cost.
If farmers need to order tags for new-born calves, they should only order the number required for calves that will be born before the end of 2012. The tags required for calves that will be born in 2013 can then be ordered as normal when the New Tag Order Form issues from Mullinahone around 1st November.
Full details of the forthcoming compulsory BVD eradication programme will be announced at the Ploughing Championships and a nationwide information campaign will take place between then and the end of the year.
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