What Are EID Tags? & What You Need To Know About Them

This article is a back-to-basics guide on EID tags – What are EID tags? What do they do? How much do they cost? Should I use them?

If you’re like most livestock producers, you probably have several questions or opinions about EID and its role in the livestock industry.

With recent biosecurity concerns like Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) reigniting the discussion and debate around implementing a national electronic identification system for the sheep industry, we thought it would be timely to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about EID tags. We also discuss the benefits of using EID tags, and how they can help you with biosecurity and animal management on your farm.

So, if you’re keen to learn more, keep reading!

What Does EID Stand For?

EID is the acronym for ‘electronic identification’ and is less commonly referred to as RFID which stands for ‘radio-frequency identification.’

What Are EID Tags?

EID tags are electronic identification devices that are placed on livestock such as sheep, cattle and goats. The tags have a unique number that is linked to the individual animal, and it stores and transmits data related to that animal. 

What Are EID Tags Used For?

EID tags have been used for a variety of purposes in the livestock industry, after being introduced in the early 2000s. The main purpose of these tags is to provide each animal with a unique identifier so that they can be tracked throughout their lifetime. This identification and tracking can be used in lots of different ways, including:

• Conducting stocktake
• Identifying poor performers
• Individual animal management
• Ram selection and allocation
• Recording pregnancy status
• Recording treatments
• Selecting stock for improved current and future production
• Tracking animals for disease control and prevention
• Tracking specific bloodlines
• Verifying information about an animal when marketing and selling livestock

How Do EID Tags Work?

EID tags contain a microchip with a unique number that is linked to an individual animal and stores important information about the animal’s identity, ranging from birth date and genetics to treatment records.

The EID tag is inserted into the animal’s ear and generally remains there until the animal is processed for slaughter.

The EID number can be read by an electronic reader that will display the number along with any other information that has been programmed into the tag.

What Information Is Stored On An EID Tag?

According to Agriculture Victoria, “with an EID system using electronic NLIS (sheep) tags you can record anything that can be measured objectively or subjectively. But there are four key points to help you decide what to record for your sheep enterprise:

• Only record data that will add value to the enterprise.

• Always keep data collection tasks as simple as possible.

• There is no point in collecting data unless you will actually use it.

• The more data you collect, the harder it is to manage.”