New ‘XI’ prefix livestock tags will be available to purchase from tag suppliers and can be used immediately from June 24, 2024.
From that date, ‘UK’ tags will no longer be available for purchase, Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has said announced today (Thursday, June 13).
Existing stocks of UK tags held by livestock keepers can continue to be used alongside the new XI prefix tags until the final switchover date expected in January 2025.
DAERA said it is currently finalising plans for the final switchover and the date, provisionally expected to be January 27, 2025, will be confirmed to livestock keepers in due course.
The department recommends that XI prefixed tags are applied to all newborn animals when available, particularly if it is likely that the animal will be exported in the future.
This is because the animal may have to be re-identified prior to export.
In advance of the rollout of the new XI tags, keepers are advised that they should not order large quantities of UK tags that cannot be used from January 2025.
All new cattle tags issued in Northern Ireland will begin with ‘XI 0’, replacing the current UK 9.
This will allow the whole tag number to be encoded on electronic identification devices in future, DAERA said.
All new sheep tags issued in Northern Ireland will begin with ‘XI 17’ replacing the current UK 17.
New XI prefix
DAERA said the prefix change is a legal requirement under EU Animal Health Law and will ensure “continued unfettered access” to both EU and UK internal markets for livestock and agri-food products.
The department said it will also help prepare for the introduction of bovine electronic identification in the future.
“Following the necessary amendments to the Northern Ireland Food Animal Information System (NIFAIS), and appropriate testing by industry, including tag suppliers, tag software providers, markets and abattoirs, roll out of the new ‘XI’ prefix livestock tags will begin week commencing June 24, 2024,” DAERA said.
“Tags bearing the new ‘XI’ prefix will be available to purchase from then and can be used immediately, and ‘UK’ prefix tags will no longer be available for purchase.
“Existing stocks of ‘UK’ tags held by livestock keepers can continue to be used alongside the new ‘XI’ prefix tags until the final switchover date expected in January 2025.”