Brazil to introduce cattle tracking system
The Ministry of Agriculture, Cattle-breeding and Supplies (Mapa) has announced changes in the rules of the Brazilian System of Bovine Cattle Origin Identification and Certification (Sisbov) under which animals will be tracked from birth to adulthood in order to ensure their good health.
Sisbov is a requirement demanded by importers of Brazilian beef, such as the European Union. Previous rules were contested by importers and Brazilian beef has been banned from several markets around the globe following allegations of poor sanitary control in the country and the recent outbreak of FMD in the states of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná.
The system provides information on the origin of each animal that is sold in the domestic or international market; however, most cattle-breeders had not been complying with it.
The main change to the system is that from now on it will not be each individual animal or herd that is awarded certification, but the farm as a whole. Private companies, registered at Mapa, will ensure that the system is implemented and each state’s hygiene inspection department will supervise the transport of cattle and take the animals that are no longer available off the system.
"2006 will be a transition year from the old to the new system. It is expected that by January 2007 all Sisbov participants will be included in the approved property programme and from 2009 Sisbov farms will be only be allowed to buy cattle from other Sisbov farms," explained Márcio Portocarrero, secretary of Cattle Breeding Development.
At present, all animals exported from
Registered properties will be re-evaluated every six months and any case of non-compliance with the Sisbov rules, will lead to cattle being removed from the system.
