Electronic Identification of Dairy Cows
Get Started for FreeOver the last five years, a number of dairy farmers, mostly rotary dairies, have opted to enter into the electronic age for cow identification. Systems are available to suit herringbone dairies. This has not only allowed permanent identification of cows through a microchip implanted ear tag, but also given them options if the automated systems are also purchased to selectively feed, draft and identify groups of cows.
As part of the National Livestock Identification System, dairy farmers in Victoria will have free access to these microchipped tags at no charge, normally retailing at $12 per tag. This is the first part of a program designed to permanently and accurately identify every animal and its property of origin from birth to slaughter. They will be "whole of life" tags for single use only.
Adoption of electronic ID will provide us with a significant technological advance. Although the tags are only a small part of the cost of a system their availability now, free of charges is an opportunity that should be considered by every farmer. It is hoped that the normal retail cost of these tags will come down in the future.
If you are further interested in the tags, contact your local DNRE representative to receive an application form.
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