Isle of Man Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture

The challenge

EU legislation mandates more robust tracking

In response to the new European Union legislation, DEFA needed a digital system to meticulously record and monitor the presence and movement of all bovine animals on the Isle of Man. The legislation mandated that every bovine animal, from birth or import onto the Island to death or export, be tracked through a Europe-wide Unique Bovine Animal Number (UBAN), marked by two ear tags. DEFA needed a robust solution to ensure the accurate identification and traceability of each animal and address the logistical complexities associated with recording the cattle's movements.

The solution

Bespoke BITS to meet the EU deadline 

Following a rigorous procurement process, PDMS was selected to create the Bovine Information and Tracking System (BITS). The solution needed to adhere to tight development timelines to meet the EU legislation deadline. The bespoke BITS was designed to handle the unique requirements of ear tag manufacturers, track the issuance and status of tags, and facilitate the seamless recording of bovine births, deaths, and movements on and off the Island. 

The project 

The BITS project entailed the development of several key functionalities:

• Tag Import Functions: Custom-built to meet the specific requirements of tag manufacturers
• Birth Registration: Initiated by pre-printed Birth Registration Forms from animal keepers, ensuring the recording of UBAN, breed, sex, and other crucial details
• Cattle Passport and Movement Cards: Generated for each animal to document departures and arrivals, enabling accurate movement tracking
• Movement Registration: Triggered by receipt of movement notifications, ensuring no subsequent animal movements are recorded without proper documentation
• Query and Reporting Engine: A flexible system for generating detailed reports and conducting audits
• User Privileges: A hierarchical access system ranging from full system Administrators to read-only browsers

PDMS collaborated closely with DEFA to ensure the system was thoroughly tested and operational by the required deadline.