Eastern Cape Livestock Identification and Traceability System launched

New technology could be the key to help farmers put an end to stock theft, writes Jyothi Laldas.

- Jyothi Laldas

Rampant stock theft in the Eastern Cape, costing emerging rural farmers millions, has prompted government to launch a technology-based system that will assist to curb livestock theft.

Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane, together with Rural Development and Agrarian Reform (DRDAR) MEC Nonkqubela Pieters, and Transport, Community Safety and Liaison minister Xolile Nqatha, officially launched the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS) in Tsolo recently.

LITS is a technology-based ear tag that will be delivered to 120 cattle farming enterprises and will be used on 30 000 cattle across the province.

All ear-tagged animals and identities of their owners will be registered on a central database where animal movement is recorded to make it easy to trace the animal back to the owner.

Once the system is fully implemented, each animal slaughtered in any abattoir can be traced from where it was farmed, farming conditions where the animal was farmed, and all animal health practices the animal was exposed to.