Sean, I don't see why the technology should be a problem. I remember a demo done at a big auction in England in '96 or '97 using I believe NZ technology. They tagged a % of cattle on farm prior to the demo then on sale day the cattle were run through an alley single file with an overhead scanner. They were read into the auction linked to the seller info and read out linked to the buyers info. The software was all in place to tie the scan data into the regular auction system so the age of animal, the number, it's individual subsidy claim status were all transmitted off the readers onto the auction computer system and sale ring screen. At the end of the day all the "off premisis" and "on premisis" movements would be transferred electronically to the central movement recording agency they had. So I don't buy it when everyone says it can't be done - anything else to do with computers and technology in the late 90s was in the dark ages compared to where we are now.
There is an issue of who pays and that is where we should be proactive - we should pay for the tags and the Government should pay for the scanning and traceabilty system - not the auctions. If there is an issue with tag loss go to two tags - the Govt tells the company to produce 2 for the price of 1. They did it in Europe so they can do it here, the tag companies are making good money - they also had to make and provide free replacements because the ID #s there were unique to each animal.
If all the cattle groups went to the Government saying we will implement the system but you pay for it we might get somewhere.
If we continue to P M about any form of tag or traceability system we will get something less workable imposed upon us - maybe something like HT's latest idea - it seems he wants to go the way of the horse folk and have us draw a picture of every animal complete with markings. Believe me we really do not want to go to a paper system when we have good EID tags that we aren't using.
There is an issue of who pays and that is where we should be proactive - we should pay for the tags and the Government should pay for the scanning and traceabilty system - not the auctions. If there is an issue with tag loss go to two tags - the Govt tells the company to produce 2 for the price of 1. They did it in Europe so they can do it here, the tag companies are making good money - they also had to make and provide free replacements because the ID #s there were unique to each animal.
If all the cattle groups went to the Government saying we will implement the system but you pay for it we might get somewhere.
If we continue to P M about any form of tag or traceability system we will get something less workable imposed upon us - maybe something like HT's latest idea - it seems he wants to go the way of the horse folk and have us draw a picture of every animal complete with markings. Believe me we really do not want to go to a paper system when we have good EID tags that we aren't using.
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