Lambs with electronic tags.

FREE electronic identification workshops for sheep producers will start at Elmore in Victoria on Thursday this week.

Agriculture Victoria will host the Elmore event on May 12 as the first in a series of five that will also include workshops at Stratford in Gippsland on May 18, at Greta in north east Victoria on May 24, at Cavendish in south west Victoria on June 14 and at Marnoo in central west Victoria on June 15.

Agriculture Victoria said the workshops aim to demonstrate how the National Livestock Identification System can be used by sheep producers to enhance productivity through identifying poorer performing animals.

At the workshops, Achieve AG Solutions consultants Nathan Scott and Helen McGregor will demonstrate how sheep tags can improve decision making on-farm.

“We want farmers to understand the range of opportunities that present themselves by using electronic identification technology.

“In the current seasonal conditions, practical applications such as using electronic tags on ewes at pregnancy scanning can simplify targeted feeding strategies,” Mr Scott said.

The workshops will help sheep producers understand the benefits of electronic tagging by exploring options such as low-cost equipment, use of contractors and getting the right help to implement new systems.

For more information on the workshops, including how to register, visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/sheepeid or www.achieveag.com.au