Author Topic: Tagging (Read 2341 times)

Farmer John · « **on:** May 10, 2012, 08:25:21 am »

Can anyone help, I started last November with a boar, sow and one of her piglets then was given a rather neglected sow who produced 11 piglets. Also I have 4 growers ready for slaughter, none of these have tags. I was told that you can mark them with indelible pen for the abattoir is that true? or do I have to tag and what information goes on the tag?

oaklandspigs · « **Reply #1 on:** May 10, 2012, 09:03:42 am »

You don't state what part of the country you are in - the rules were different in Scotland until late last year.

You do not need to tag any animals that merely stay on your farm (see later) - so we are only talking about the ones you are thinking about taking to slaughter.

These need to be tagged or slapmarked with your herdmark. The regulations state that for tags this must be "printed or stamped". Defra state that this means pre-printed rather than written, but it is up to your abattoir whether they will accept a handwritten, and whilst it is unliklely that you will be "done" by the authorities, you do run a technical risk that they might use you as a test case.

As for the ones you bought, if in Scotland and before november last year, they could arrive at your holding with no ID at all. In England & Wales, those under 1 year could arrive at your farm with a temporary mark. Those over 1 year (probably your boar and sow, and neglacted sow) should have had either a tag or tatoo with the senders herdmark on the pig. However once on your farm, they do not need any further ID as long as they stay on your farm.

Fowgill Farm · « **Reply #2 on:** May 10, 2012, 09:42:27 am »

If you check the movement paperwork your sows and boar arrived on your holding with and they were over a year old they should have had numbers to travel on and they should be on the paperwork. Its very likely the young piglet didn't as it would have been on a temporary mark so if it ready to go to the butchers you can tag it with your herdmark and number, most abbattoirs prefer metal tags or slapmarks so telephone and check what they want. Any progeny you now have to go to slaughter can go on your herdmark and tags too.
I take it the sows and boar are not pedigree otherwise you would have had paperwork from the BPA when the owner transferred them to you and this would have given you their ear numbers too.
HTH
Mandy