V.RDA.2010 - Tracking and Tracing Sheep

Summary

Following an exploration of opportunities for improved tracking and tracing technologies in the cattle industry, this project was conducted to understand stakeholder requirements and opportunities for improved tracking and tracing in the sheep industry. With the introduction of mandatory Electronic Identification (EID) in Victoria, increased recording of individual movements throughout the supply chain, and similar technology shifts in other countries, this project sought to review stakeholder needs in the event of a national roll out of EID. Another major element of this project was responding to the need for a vision for the future of tracking and tracing animals in the Australian sheep industry. This project therefore aimed to understand user and technology requirements now and into the future, providing direction for future Research and Development (R&D) and investments.

Objectives

1. Defining opportunities in the sheep supply chain to accelerate the development and adoption of superior tracking and tracing solutions.
2. Creating clear value propositions of individual sheep identification for different stakeholder groups in the supply chain.
3. Identifying solutions, processes, and/or tested technologies that can solve challenges and realise value from improved tracking and traceability.
4. Identifying pathways to adoption of new solutions by addressing key technical, and non-technical barriers.

Key findings

This project for the Australian sheep industry involved two main bodies of work. ‘Part 1: Low Frequency (LF) EID Roadmap’ which explored the supply chain and system needs in a national EID roll out. Overall findings indicated that taking a harmonised approach to the roll out of EID, and delivering solutions to the identified challenges will be critical in ensuring the burdens of an EID roll out and system are reduced, and the traceability benefits of EID can be fully realised. It is critical that the federal and state governments work closely with the Australian sheep industry to achieve this.

‘Part 2: Innovation Blueprint’ was developed to provide industry with an evidence-based view of future requirements for traceability technologies and to inform more sound technology and R&D investments. The Innovation Blueprint consisted of a series of tools that can be used to track progress of innovation and technology adoption over the next 10, 15, or 20 years. This tools also help guide future R&D investments into new traceability technologies.

Benefits to industry

Understanding the industry needs and requirements is important to identify the opportunities around improvements that can be made to sheep traceability. It is key that harmonised approach is used when rolling out any new technology to be used for traceability purposes.

MLA action

MLA to further refine and test the Innovation Blueprint tools to use to assess potential identification technologies to be funded through R&D investments.

Future research

ISC to commission research into a feasibility study to explore the technical and economic feasibility of UHF technology for use in Australian livestock and within the context of NLIS.