Eastern Cape intensifies fight against stock theft

Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane and Rural Development and Agrarian (DRDAR) Reform MEC Nonkqubela Pieters will on Tuesday kick start the use of the Livestock Identification and Traceability System (LITS) as part of efforts to fight stock theft. LITS is a technology-based ear-tag gadget that government is delivering to 120 cattle farming enterprises across the province. The technology is also part of efforts to strengthen biosecurity measures to improve the international trade of cattle. As part of this rollout, 30 000 cattle will be ear-tagged for identification and traceability purposes in Tsolo. The rollout of LITS is a commitment made by Premier Mabuyane during the 2024 State of the Province Address, and as part of implementing an agreement between government and the red meat industry. LITS will ensure individual animal identification so that livestock owners comply with the Animal Identification Act. This will improve the prosecution rate of people charged for livestock theft and strength en biosecurity measures in farms to improve international trade of cattle opportunities. All ear-tagged animals and identities of their owners are registered onto 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 to where it was farmed, the farming conditions where the animal was farmed, and all animal health practices the animal was exposed to. This will also make it possible to identify owners of registered animals, thus improving the recovery of stolen animals. DRDAR is implementing this national policy through collaboration with the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). Currently, the department has trained and registered more than 250 veterinarians, scientists, animal health technicians and extension advisors to lead the implementation of the system. Source: South African Government News Agency