Incorporation of Blue Trace eID hardware and systems into a small stock operation for traceability and monitoring

With the introduction of mandatory sheep eID requirements in NSW, all sheep and goats are to be electronically identified (eID) and recorded in the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) database. As a result, this project conducted an evaluation of the BlueTrace eID readers. 

The project was implemented in stages at an NSW-based processing plant. In stage one, the performance of BlueTrace panel readers was assessed on the harvest floor, focusing on scan accuracy and throughput rates. Based on these findings, stage two involved refinement of panel placement and configuration to optimise performance. Stage three explored integrating back-office software solutions to enhance data handling and traceability. 

Internal benchmarking demonstrated scan rates that exceeded 90 per cent using wand verification, while data reported to NLIS consistently averaged 95 per cent accuracy—significantly higher than the industry average of 50 per cent, as confirmed by the Department of Primary Industries (DPI). This was done by cross-checking sale yard scans with our daily uploads. These results highlight the potential of BlueTrace technology to deliver industry-leading compliance results with current eID requirements.