A NORTH Yorkshire company’s automatic sheep tagger has received a warm reception in France.

Masham-based Ritchey attended a recent agricultural trade fair in Rennes and received inquiries from producers and agricultural merchants.

The Ritchey Autotagger takes ten tags at a time and uses a staple gun action, making it quicker than standard applicators. By also eliminating the need for a blade, it is less stressful for livestock and reduces the risk of operator injury.

The Autotagger goes on sale in the UK from October 26.

Ola Nowaczek, export sales advisor for Ritchey, said: “Many of the farmers who visited our stand were asking whether the Autotagger could handle electronic identification tags. I explained that we are working on an EID version, which will be available very soon. In the UK, the new EID rules will come into force in January, 2010.”