Cutting-edge tracking technology for sheep
Tracking of individual sheep through farms, markets and holdings helps prevent disease epidemics. However, current tracking systems that use low-frequency (LF) radio frequency ID (RFID) tags have a reported success rate below 90 % when groups of animals are moved. The EU-funded ROSEI (Robust sheep electronic identification) project aimed to develop an RFID system with 100 % tracking efficiency. To achieve this, it used a dual-band LF and ultra-high frequency (UHF) system. Team members first completed a study of user needs in the sheep industry to inform a full analysis of system requirements. The design of the ROSEI database was completed, and a combined UHF/LF passive RFID tag prototype was built. Researchers developed and optimised the tag antenna. Additionally, a new type of RFID reader was designed and built that can detect multiple RFID signals in a specific area. The new RFID tag was then integrated into an existing commercial tag design. The feasibility of monitoring and recording sheep movement independently or when moving in large groups was tested and demonstrated in real sheep management scenarios. These demonstrations in Ireland achieved a 100 % success rate thanks to a miniature and lightweight UHF tag. With the developed UHF RFID system, farmers, market operators, food processors and transport operators require much less effort to record births, movements to and from farms and markets, and transport to meat processing companies. The technology automatically reads and records tag data from a swiftly moving flock of 100 sheep in under a minute. It will also lead to enhanced information for food traceability and veterinary surveillance, and to better ways of dealing with disease outbreaks. By accurately recording, tracing, monitoring and identifying sheep, ROSEI will enable advanced livestock management in compliance with EU legislation to contain disease.
Keywords
Tracking technology, sheep, electronic identification, RFID, disease outbreaks
