Radio Frequency I.D. technology tried out at Stratton cattle sale

Heather Ogilvie

To conform to updated government regulations surrounding the identification of Canadian cattle, new computer software was on trial at the Rainy River Cattlemen’s Association Yearling sale held in Stratton on Saturday. 
But more changes will be introduced within the next year, such as new computer hardware and a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Reader.
“We have to get up to speed with the government regulations,” explained secretary April Szpara. “Our old system wasn’t capable of handling all the data and the new one will enable us to meet the regulations.”
Although currently in effect, president Ken McKinnon noted the updated regulations won’t be enforced until December 2007.
“That gives us a little over a year to get everything in place,” he remarked.
But the Cattlemen’s Association has already taken the first step by implementing trial software and Szpara said it seemed to be working well. 
“It’s going better than we expected,” she voiced around noon. “But it’s different because we’ve been doing it the same way for so long.”
With the software administrators on hand, the staff was trained and many glitches were worked out.
“We’re able to process the information quicker and it has cut down on the amount of work and costs. And we make the producers happy by being able to get them the report right away,” Szpara explained.
“I like it—all the information is in one place and we’re able to track the animals coming in and going out,” she added.
But even with the new software, there were still some delays during Saturday’s auction.
“When it’s not [a live auction], it’s not stressful,” Szpara claimed, citing the bad thing about change is delay, but she was confident things would only get better.
“You have to remember most places have an auction a week and we have just four a year,” she said.
Szpara noted the association has looked at other software, but this one seemed to be the best considering many of the others were either out-dated or too expensive. They will meet to make a final decision about the software. 
McKinnon explained this new software will ultimately assist in implementing the Canadian Radio Frequency Identification Reader program, managed under the Canadian Food Safety and Quality Program.
“[It] will improve the tracking and tracing of the cattle beyond the farmgate using RFID reader technology,” he expressed, citing the initiative is an important component of BSE tracing and tracking strategy.
“The RFID reader will provide a more effective method of receiving information stored on the RFID tag,” he added.
Auction facility operators will be able to scan the information on the tag and upload it directly to the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency’s or Agri-Tracibility Quebec’s databases.
“We’re forced to replace all our existing equipment,” stressed Szpara. “Without it, we would not be allowed to function.”  
They hope to have this in place by the spring auction, but funds to purchase the equipment is imperative. The Association is applying to the Rainy River Future Development Corp. to utilize the Local Initiatives Fund. 
“And we are starting to do research on other government programs we might be eligible for,” she noted. “There is only so much money, so we need to access it quickly.”
Szpara also said the new equipment will help the local producers because they will need to use it, but wouldn’t be able to afford it themselves.
“One thing it will help with is age verification,” she stated. “You have to be able to prove the age of the animal and this will do that. Then producers will be able to sell to different markets.”
And McKinnon noted Saturday’s auction went fairly well, with 1,204 animals.
“[That number] is probably down and it relates back to the drought situation,” he stressed. “They just didn’t have the pastures.
“But it’s been good,” he continued. “We’re finding a few things that we have to do differently and that all comes with time.” He indicated the cattle seemed to sell at reasonable prices.