Using EID equipment
Where and how your equipment is used can affect the quality of the reads that you get. Planning and preparation can save considerable time.
- Use good quality tags and boluses to aid visual and electronic reading.
- Carefully look at the design of EID devices (e.g. style, size, weight, pin length) in relation to the breed and age of your sheep and feeding, housing and fencing arrangements.
- Follow good tagging/bolusing techniques. Use the correct applicators, according to manufacturer’s instructions, to ensure retention and avoid welfare problems.
- When not in use, store your reading equipment at ambient temperatures.
- Avoid using a stick and panel reader close together as they could interfere with one another.
- ‘Industrial noise’ can affect a reader, this includes electrical motors (particularly variable speed motors), running engines and fluorescent lights.
- A static/panel reader can also pick up readings from extraneous sources (such as surplus devices, car key fobs and micro-chipped dogs).
- Charge batteries sufficiently for the work planned or keep a fully charged spare.
- Ensure the correct data is collected and it is relevant to your management objectives.
- Set aside sufficient time for analysing the information and producing results.
| What do you want to use EID recording for? | Examples of your equipment options | |||
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| Stick reader and simple printer | Stick reader, PC, Printer, basic software | Handheld reader (numeric keypad), PC, printer, and software | Handheld reader, EID-enabled weigh head, weigh crate, PC, printer, and software | |
| To produce a simple list of sheep numbers |  |
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| To produce a simple list of sheep numbers, read sheep IDs and assign management information to groups of animals e.g. movement or veterinary treatment | |
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| To produce a simple list of sheep numbers, read sheep IDs and assign management information to groups of animals as well as inputting individual animal data, maintaining flock records, producing management reports | |
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| All of the tasks above as well as automated data capture, generating comprehensive flock management reports, transferring data from the office out to the field | |
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| Approximate costs* | £700 - £1,200 | £1,000 - £1,300 | £1,200 - £1,400 | £5,000 - £6,000 |
| *This assumes that you already have access to a PC and printer | ||||