NEW European Union rules for sheep farmers have come into force meaning all newborn lambs will have to be electronically tagged.

It is hoped the move will allow animals to be traced more easily.

Under the regulations, all sheep born on or after December 31 2009 must have two identifiers, one electronic – either an ear tag, a pastern tag or a bolus – and one non-electronic.

Following concessions agreed in Europe, sheep intended for slaughter before 12 months of age will be exempt from EID, although provisions are in place to allow for electronic tags if required.

A farm's holding register will need to keep a record of all sheep which are double identified, including year of birth, date of identification, month and year of death, breed, genotype and individual movements. For those animals born before December 31 2009, batch records will remain in use.

A farmer can move an existing flock over to EID should he wish, applying for a new set of identifiers and cross referencing it with holding records, although there is no obligation to do so.

By 2011 further requirements under the regulation will also come into force which will require individual recording on all movement documents as well as in the holding register.

For movements within the business such as to winter grazing, where the animals do not change keepership, individual recording will not be required but instead movements must be recorded on a batch basis.

This is an interim measure put in place by Defra and is still subject to approval from the EU.