SHEEP producers have been urged to make sure they are fully aware of the rules on tagging sheep.

The plea came from the National Sheep Association and Livestock Auctioneers' Association ahead of an EU inspection of the UK tagging system in the new year.

The UK is seeking a derogation to allow producers to continue with the current system, even though the rest of the EU will move to a double tagging system in July next year.

The continued use of the UK system depends on the EU being satisfied that it is robust enough to give full traceability.

Peter Morris, deputy chief executive of the NSA, said the current rules were onerous and complicated.

"However, if we fail this inspection in January and find ourselves facing the prospect of double tagging sheep and all that goes with it, it will be a crippling blow to the sheep sector," he said.

The current system gave excellent traceability and was workable in the UK sheep flock.

"We would strongly advise all sheep farmers to ensure they keep replenishing their stocks of 'S' and 'R' tags on farm so they are available for use as needed," said Mr Morris.

The current tagging system was introduced following the foot-and-mouth epidemic in 2001 and requires every sheep to have an individual number as well as a flock number as its official means of identification.

If a tag is lost, it can either be replaced with a tag of the same number or a replacement "R" tag. Similarly, any subsequent moves the sheep makes after it has moved off its holding of birth usually require an "S" tag, which avoids the need to record individual numbers.

Any sheep can have a maximum of three tags before individual numbers have to be recorded.

"The EU officials are bound to look at our 'R' and 'S' tag system in close detail to see that it is being properly implemented when sheep move through livestock markets and when they move from farm to farm," said Chris Dodds, executive secretary of the LAA.

"We shall encourage all our livestock market operators to publicise to their farmer clients the importance of adhering to the tagging rules."