NFU Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government to publish the results of its consultation on Cattle Identification and Traceability and to set a date for the introduction of Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Bovine Electronic Identification (bEID).
Discussions on bEID for Scottish cattle are now more than two decades old and the Union is clear that years of industry discussion, lobbying, research and development must now lead to the introduction of bEID in Scotland by January 2026.
In its response to the recent consultation, NFU Scotland’s key asks were:
- UHF technology should be adopted for bEID introduction in the interest of enabling innovation in the cattle sector,
- A clear, comprehensive timetable should be published to illustrate the phased introduction of bEID, including the removal of paper passports.
- Introduction of an online holding register to streamline inspection processes.
Speaking earlier this year at NFU Scotland’s Autumn Conference and again AgriScot last month, Scottish Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie MSP noted Scottish Government’s preference for UHF. NFU Scotland is now looking to the Scottish Government to commit to the introduction UHF bEID tagging for calves from January 2026 onwards.
It has also called on Defra to back UHF bEID, underlining the extensive research and trials undertaken by ScotEID on more than 400 farms, as well as a number of livestock markets and abattoirs across in Scotland. Recently the Scottish bEID Stakeholder Group, currently chaired by NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy, wrote to Minister of State at Defra Daniel Zeichner MP to underline its position.
NFU Scotland Livestock Policy Manager Lisa Hislop said: “Our position is clear. We want to see a mandate for the introduction of UHF bEID, and the onus is on the Scottish Government to give a clear and comprehensive timetable for that to happen so the whole supply chain can prepare. “The benefits of UHF outstrip those of older technologies, notably the ability to achieve 100 percent read rates on farm, in transport, in markets and in abattoirs which improves the health and safety of anyone who works with cattle. UHF will streamline the husbandry tasks on-farm including any associated with official inspections. It also presents the potential to phase out paper passports, saving the industry more than £20,500 and the Scottish Government more than £600,000 on printing, paper and postage.
“Furthermore, UHF bEID technology operates under WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get), meaning the identification numbers for individual animals are printed on the ear tag, therefore cattle can continue to be identified as they are today.
“A clear Scottish Government timeline for introduction of bEID in January 2026 will give industry the confidence to invest in the necessary equipment and technology for EID. We would also wish to see capital funding made available for the transition to EID through the future support framework. As the industry is encouraged to use data to become more efficient, we need the policy and tools to do so.” Ends
Notes for Editors
For the introduction of Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) tags for cattle, NFUS proposes:
- New born cattle to be EID tagged from January 2026.
- Allow replacement EID tags.
- Allow keepers to voluntarily EID their cattle ahead of the mandatory introduction.
- From 2028 any cattle moving off a business holding would be required to be tagged with EID tags, so that the next party can get the benefit of UHF-EID.
- The historic herd to be tagged at the individual keepers’ discretion.
- Funding to be available to support the transition to bEID through the new support framework, Tier 3.
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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006