Electronic identification tags available for cattle in Northern Ireland from next week

DAERA has announced that from 7 September 2026, herd keepers in Northern Ireland (NI) will be able to identify newborn cattle using approved electronic identification (EID) ear tags.

EID is being introduced on a voluntary basis. This means herd keepers in NI may choose to use an approved EID tag in place of one of the conventional tags, with no requirement to do so. This approach provides choice and flexibility, allowing those who wish to adopt the technology to do so at a pace that suits their business.

An EID tag contains a microchip programmed with the animal's unique identification number, allowing it to be read electronically using compatible equipment such as a tag reader. This can help improve the speed and accuracy of recording cattle movements, reduce transcription errors, improve efficiency on farms, at livestock markets and in processing sites, and support safer handling by reducing the need to manually read tags.

Announcing the introduction of voluntary EID, DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said: The introduction of voluntary electronic identification for cattle is an important step forward for Northern Ireland. It will give herd keepers the choice to adopt this technology where it works for their business, while supporting more accurate, efficient and safer recording of cattle movements.

Northern Ireland will be the first region in the UK to make bovine EID available, and this voluntary approach allows the sector to begin realising the benefits without placing new requirements on all herd keepers.

EID tags will be white to allow quick and clear visual identification of electronically tagged cattle. The distinct colour will also help reduce errors and make it easier to identify missing tags alongside conventional yellow tags.

Herd keepers and industry stakeholders are encouraged to consider the benefits of EID and the option of using it to identify newborn cattle.

More information on EID is available on the DAERA website at: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/electronic-identification-eid, including a set of Q&As: www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/qa-voluntary-introduction-electronic-identification-cattle.

Notes to editors:

1. The voluntary introduction of EID on 7 September 2026 does not preempt any future decisions regarding mandatory implementation. The Department has undertaken a consultation on mandatory bovine EID, and the findings are now being considered. Any future proposals will be announced following full consideration of the responses.
2. EID tags must have a white front leaf, but the rear leaf may be white or yellow, while button tags (where used) will be fully white.
3. EID technology allows the animal's unique identification number to be read electronically using a tag reader, improving accuracy and efficiency. EID tags will still have the animal's ID number printed on them and therefore can still be read visually.
4. EID technology is already widely used in Northern Ireland to identify sheep and has been required for sheep since 31 December 2009.
5. The NI Bovine Genetics Genotyping Scheme is being launched in September, initially for breeding animals. The scheme will require an additional genotyping tag to be applied to these animals. Keepers may choose to use a genotyping tag that incorporates EID technology. However, this option is only available for animals already identified with XI 0' prefixed tags, as the older UK 9' numbering system is not compatible with EID.