New ‘XI’ prefix livestock tags will soon be available for Northern Irish farmers to purchase from tag suppliers and can be used immediately.
From 24 June, ‘UK’ tags will no longer be available for purchase, but existing stocks of can be held by farmers to be used alongside the new tags.
The final switchover date is expected in January 2025, Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture (DAERA) has confirmed.
It said that further details on this final switchover date will be provided in due course.
A DAERA spokesperson sad: "DAERA 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, otherwise they 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."
The change to the prefix code on livestock tags, which is a legal requirement under EU law, will ensure continued access to both EU and UK internal markets for NI livestock and agri-food product.
The change means that from week commencing 24 June 2024, all new cattle tags issued in NI will begin with “XI 0”, replacing the current UK 9.
DAERA said this will allow the whole tag number to be encoded on electronic identification devices in future.
All new sheep tags issued in NI will begin with XI 17 replacing the current UK 17.
A final switchover date, provisionally expected on 27 January 2025, after which ‘UK’ tags cannot be used, will be confirmed later this year.
