Technology keeps sheep secure

VICTORIAN Livestock Exchange in Koonwarra has secured funding to ensure all sheep passing through the saleyards are identified electronically.
The exchange received State Government funding for the microchip and scanning equipment which will be enforced with new policies by the end of the month.
VLE managing director Wayne Osborne said staff are already familiar with the scanning procedures that have already been implemented with cattle.
“The purpose of the equipment is to increase the defences in regards to buyers’ security. In the event of disease outbreak, we can trace where the sheep have been and what other animals they have been in contact with,” he said.
“In theory it is a good idea. It is just not easy in practise as it adds a layer of complexity that we have to deal with.”
The cattle electronic identification process was first introduced in the early 2000s, however the government legislated in August 2016 that similar processes would need to be extended to sheep as a required control measure.
“When the legislation was first announced, we were told all equipment and processes would have to be in place by June 30, 2017. But it was amended and now we have until the end of March,” Mr Osborne said.
“The minister’s department at the time consulted with a series of stakeholders and concluded it would not be feasible for saleyards to install the equipment in the original time period.”
Mr Osborne said the team at VLE would not require intensive training to implement the electronic identification scanning, however other saleyards may struggle to meet the government’s demands.
“We received $90,000 in funding from the government to cover all infrastructural and installation costs. Our team has done similar procedures with the cattle version so it will not be a huge burden on us,” he said.
“But for saleyards which are new to this technology, it could be difficult for them to get their heads around it so quickly.”

Funding secured: Victorian Livestock Exchange Leongatha managing director Wayne Osborne stands in the saleyards where buyers can rest assured their sheep are processed with new electronic identification scanning.

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Posted by Sarah Vella on Mar 14 2018. Filed under Rural News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry