SHEEP producers have been urged to ensure all their stock are correctly identified this season.

If they are not, warns the English Beef and Lamb Executive, double-tagging of all breeding sheep in England could become a reality next year.

Defra is seeking a national exemption to last December's EU regulation requiring the double-tagging of breeding sheep born after July 9, 2005, but the exemption will be granted only if a visit from EU inspectors, expected in the near future, satisfies the European Commission that the existing national system ensures complete traceability between holdings.

This puts the onus squarely on English producers to take particular care to comply with the letter of current tagging regulations, which Defra is re-emphasising in guidance notes sent directly to all producers.

In addition to UK (holding of birth) tags, which must be applied to all sheep within 12 months of birth or before they leave their birth holding, special care will be needed to secure S and R tags as and when required.

With the exemption of movements from the holding of birth, S tags have to be applied to all animals before every movement to another holding, unless the individual animal numbers are recorded both on the movement document and in the flock register.

In addition, lost or unreadable tags have to be replaced as soon as possible; either with an identical UK (holding of birth) tag if the original identity of the animal is known, or with a red R tag if it is not.

If it can be demonstrated that every English producer is following the tagging rules at all times, it could secure national exemption from the additional burden of double-tagging in 2005 and beyond.